What is the rule if a batted ball bounces off of home plate? Please cover all scenarios.
2007-06-12 05:03:35 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
A BATTED BALL!! Read the question. not a pitch, A BATTED BALL
2007-06-12 05:09:04 · update #1
First, I am an umpire. This is the ruling with scenarios.
Home plate is fair territory. A batted ball the bounces off the plate and rolls or bounds into fair territory is a fair ball.
A batted ball that stops ON home plate is a fair ball.
All of the bases are fair.
If a rolling ball going down the first base line is in foul territory, Prior to being touched by a defensive player, and HITS the outside corner of first base.... it's a fair ball.
Oddly enough, the pitching rubber is not fair. If you hit a ball and it was not touched by a defensive player and it bounced off the rubber and landed in foul territory, it's a foul.
2007-06-12 05:12:13 · answer #1 · answered by rviano11 2 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Let's get an official Major League Baseball call on this.
The ruling is that the ball stays live, and it can still end up either fair or foul, depending on where the ball goes and when the ball is touched after that point. Let me explain:
From Major League Baseball Rule 2.00, definitions:
"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."
There is no rule in the book that says the ball is declared dead if a batted ball touches home plate. Therefore, it's still live.
The plate lies entirely in fair territory, so if the ball stops on home plate, or if it is touched while it is on or over home plate, it is a live, fair ball.
If the ball is fair territory as it passes first or third base, or if it settles on the infield in fair territory, or if it is touched in or over fair territory, the ball is live and fair.
If the ball is in or over foul territory; when it is touched, when it passes first or third base, when it settles, when it passes into a spectator area, or when it hits an obstruction such as a fence; the ball is dead and foul.
In short, nothing special happens the instant a batted ball bounces off of home plate. It's fair territory, just like the rest of the field. Play continues, the same as if the ball had not hit the plate.
2007-06-12 13:47:07 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it hits home plate and enters the field of play it is a fair ball and subject to all rules. Example is if a batter hits home plate and the ball bounces into the air and he beats the throw to first he is safe. I have seen this happen many times.
2007-06-12 12:08:59 · answer #3 · answered by wvu rules 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's not automatically foul, nor is it automatically fair. The status of the ball is determined by its position when first touched or by where it settles.
Rviano, the pitcher's plate most certainly IS "fair." The reason the ball is foul if it rebounds into foul territory and is then touched or settles is because the ball did not go beyond first or third base.
2007-06-12 15:45:29 · answer #4 · answered by Ryan R 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The plate is in fair territory and the ball is fair. If it rolls foul and is first touched in foul territory it is a foul ball. Should it roll fair again, without being touched, after going into foul territory it is fair. Should it hit the batter while the batter is still in the batters box it is a dead ball and foul. If it hits the batter after the batter has left the batters box it is a dead ball and the batter is out with all runners returning to their original bases.
2007-06-12 13:39:51 · answer #5 · answered by stoutt13 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. if the ball hits off the home plate and rolls fair, then its a fair ball.
2.if the batted ball is a bunted fly ball that lands untouched by any player and it rolls directly to and settles directly on top of home plate. its fair
2007-06-12 12:12:56 · answer #6 · answered by jenny 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Home plate is fair territory and therefore the ball is in play as a ground ball unless it crosses one of the foul lines before reaching first or third base before being touched.
2007-06-12 12:08:53 · answer #7 · answered by lunatic 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
The ball is in play off the plate, all other rules apply.
2007-06-12 12:18:21 · answer #8 · answered by rhuzzy 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Home plate is in fair territory, so it's treated like any other fair ball put in play.
http://baseball-rules.com/fairfoul.htm
I'm not sure what other scenarios there would be.
2007-06-12 12:11:36 · answer #9 · answered by Craig S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a batted ball... well if it hits on home its gonna take a huge hop, but if it stays fair it's in play
2007-06-12 13:00:51 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋