In baseball, if a grounder is hit down the first or third baseline on the fair side, travels foul, but then...

Question

In baseball, if a grounder is hit down the first or third baseline on the fair side, travels foul, but then — because of the contour of the dirt, grass or some environmental variable — the ball comes back into fair territory all before reaching first or third base, what is the call?

Official baseball rules state "(2.00) A FAIR BALL is a batted ball that settles on fair ground between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that is on or over fair territory when bounding to the outfield past first or third base, or that touches first, second or third base, or that first falls on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base, or that, while on or over fair territory touches the person of an umpire or player, or that, while over fair territory, passes out of the playing field in flight."

I'd like to have some feedback from experienced, perhaps even professional MLB umpires, on this scenario.

Thanks!

Answer 1

You don't need an ump, the rule has it. If it ends up in fair territory on the infield, its a fair ball. That's why you see infielders use their gloves to knock slowly rolling foul balls further into foul territory, to make sure they dont end up fair and they can't make a play.

Answer 2

If a ground ball bounces fair, foul and then fair again before it reaches the first/third base bags, it's fair. That's why you'll see infielders and catchers watch so very carefully when a bunted ball is rolling slowly towards the foul line. They'll pick it as soon as it crosses into foul territory (perfectly legal), to prevent it from rolling fair again.

If a ground ball is fair as it passes the bags, and then rolls foul in the outfield, it's a fair ball. The call is made as it crosses the bag or, more precisely, the edge of the infield grass. That's also why a spectator should never, ever try to get a ground ball down the line WITHOUT checking the umpire's signal. The umpire will wave both arms towards the infield if the ball is fair, and towards the stands if the ball is foul.

Answer 3

The ruling is as follows. It is a fair ball. This actually happened to me once. A ball was hit in foul territiory towards first base, but the spin on the ball allowed it to travel back into fair territory. It was a fair ball, so I simply picked it up and touched first for an easy out. For a ball to be called foul, it must either:
Hit something man made
Go past first or third base in foul territory
Stop in foul territory or
Be touched by a player while the ball is in foul territory

That's the ruling on that one, trust me, I live for baseball and I know the rules by heart.

Answer 4

Fair ball. The ball is still live until its touched by a fielder or runs into an object in foul territory. So if its foul then comes back into play on its own accord, its still a live ball and is a fair ball unless it goes back foul before it reaches 1st or 3rd base.

The guy right above me is an idiot. The umpire isn't supposed to make a call until the ball is touched or has stopped because the ball could go back into fair territory.

Answer 5

The ball must hit fair territory first. Then it must either be touched by a player in fair territory or pass 1st or 3rd base in fair territory for it to be a live ball. It can go in and out of fair and foul territory between that time.

Answer 6

Its a fair ball. It doesn't matter where it travels until it passes the bag or comes to a complete stop. If it is in fair territory when it stops or rolls past the bag it is fair, unless it bounced off the wall or something like that. This only applies to ground balls though, and it has a very small chance of happening because the natural spin on the ball carries it towards foul territory.

Answer 7

Fair ball. If the ball is fair, rolls foul, and for some reason rolls back into fair territory before it passes the bag - it is a fair ball. This is why players hustle to touch the ball while it is foul to declare it dead before it has a chance to hit a rock or something and make it's way back fair.

I've played 15 years of competitive ball all the way through college.

Answer 8

It is a fair ball at that point. It can only be foul if a player picks it up in foul territory or the ball has passed 1st or 3rd base.

Answer 9

Fair Ball, it is simple my dearest child. A ball that is in foul territory and returns to "fair" territory before first or third base is a fair, if the ball does this after first or third base it is foul

Answer 10

Fair ball.

It all depends on where the ball is when the fielder fields the ball. I've seen a number of bunts go foul, but when the fielder's glove got to the ball and picked it up, it had rolled to the fair side of the line, making it a fair ball.