Uncaught Third Strike

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The Uncaught Third Strike (German: not caught third strike ) is a technical term from baseball . The term dropped third strike is also often used , but this is a term that is imprecise in terms of rules and language.

definition

The Uncaught Third Strike can only occur when a pitch is executed on a batter who already has two strikes in his count . A third strike is considered an Uncaught if the catcher catches the pitched ball only after it hits the ground or if the ball ricochets off the umpire and is then caught by the catcher. Also on Uncaught will be decided when the catcher not sure gets the ball when catching under control and the ball touches the ground or by being caught directly or indirectly in the equipment of the catcher and it is unplayable. However, if the catcher touches the ball with his hand or glove and can then press the ball that has not been caught directly to his body and thereby hold it, this ball is deemed to be caught ( caught strike) within the meaning of the rule.

episode

In the event of an Uncaught Third Strike, the batter becomes a runner immediately and can attempt to reach first base, unless first base is occupied, in which case the batter is "out". If two attackers are already “out” in the current inning , the batter becomes a runner in any case and can try to reach first base in accordance with the rules, regardless of whether another runner is in first base at the time of the pitch and is forced to advance .

Behavior of the umpire

The umpire signals the third strike by signals and calls, but does not give the batter an "off". The umpire can give an indication that the strike has not been caught by shouting "No catch, no catch". The batter is free to attempt to reach first base until the umpire calls it out. The umpire is the batter until "off" when it either by a defending player met will be made by a throw to first base "Off" or the ash area around home plate toward the dugout has left.

Scoring

If an Uncaught Third Strike occurs, a strikeout will definitely be scored in the statistics sheet for the pitcher , but not an “off”. As a result, a pitcher could score more than three strikeouts in an inning. In the history of Major League Baseball, four strikeouts in one inning have occurred 57 times so far.

Sense of the rule

This rule was introduced to force the defensive team to achieve a legal "off". It is not considered sufficient for an "out" that the batter has attempted to strike in vain or misjudged the pitch as this would be a passive "out". The rule therefore expressly requires active intervention by the defense or "off" by leaving the home plate area in the direction of the dugout.

The restriction of the rule to an unoccupied first base with fewer than two “offs” serves to prevent the catcher from deliberately dropping the ball. This prevents forcing a double or triple play , similar to the infield fly rule.

World Series 1941

A known case of an uncaught third strike occurred in the 1941 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers . In the fourth game of the series, the Dodgers led 4: 3 in the ninth inning and Brooklyn's defensive only had to make Yankees outfielder Tommy Henrich to win the game and level the series.

Brooklyn pitcher Hugh Casey already had two strikes against Henrich when he threw a curveball that missed the strike zone. After this throw, Henrich would have stayed in the game if he hadn't moved the stick ( laid off ) or withdrew it in time (checked swing) . Henrich, however, swung for the ball and missed it, after which it would have been off again if catcher Mickey Owen had caught the ball. The ball made such a sharp downward curve that Owen couldn't control it either. The ball rolled to the backstop and while Mickey Owen brought it back, Henrich reached first base. The remaining out was enough for the Yankees to score four more runs with three more hits and two walks. The Yankees won the game and the Dodgers lost the series 1-4 after five games.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Christian Posny , Sven Muencheberg: Rulebook Baseball . Revised 2007. Ed .: Deutscher Baseball und Softball Verband e. V. 6. revised. Edition. Meyer & Meyer Verlag, Aachen 2008, ISBN 978-3-89899-365-4 , 6.05.b and 6.09.b, pp. 80 and 92 .
  2. ↑ MLB Playing Rules Committee: MLB - Official Rules: 6.00 The Batter ( English ) In: Official Rules (# 6.05, 6.09) . mlb.com. 2008. Retrieved October 18, 2008.
  3. ↑ Note: Even in games outside the Anglo-Saxon-speaking area , the language of the umpire is English
  4. ↑ Four Strikeouts in One Inning ( English ) baseball-almanac.com. 2008. Retrieved October 17, 2008.
  5. ↑ Note: The baseball rule does not know the term passive exit, the term is only used here for explanation.
  6. ↑ BB Moments: Mickey Owen, "Goat" ( English ) MLB Advanced Media. 2009. Retrieved March 20, 2012.