Baseball  Trivia

Baseball Rules

What's the Ruling?

Batting 

The batter hits a foul ball with one foot out of the batter's box.

answer He is out. Rule 6.06

The batter leans over the plate on a high inside pitch. He attempts to get out of the way. Even though the pitch was in the strike zone it hits his elbow. 

answer It's a called stike. The ball is dead. No runners can advance. Rule 6.08

Running

The batter hits a fair ball. A fielder throws his glove at it and deflects the hit. 

answer The batter is awarded three bases. The ball is still in play so he can advance to home at his own risk. Rule 7.05

The third strike isn't caught by the catcher allowing the batter to run to first, but he doesn't realize the ball wasn't caught and go back towards his dugout down the third base line. His teammates yell at him to go for first. He turns and runs and gets to first base before the ball.  

answer The batter is safe. He may advance to first if he hasn't gone in the dugout yet. Rule 7.08

The batter running to first on an infield ground ball slides into first, but overslides the base and is tagged by the first baseman.  

answer The runner can overrun OR overslide first base as long as he immediately returns to the base. If he attempts to go to second he can be tagged out. If he attempts to return to the dugout he is out on appeal when he or the base is tagged. Rule 7.08

Runner on second. The batter hits a ball to short.  The ball gets past the shortstop then hits the runner on his way to third.

answer The ball is still in play and it is NOT interference if in the umpire's judgement no other fielder had a play. Rule 7.08

 Pitching

The pitcher, standing half way between the mound and first base licks the fingers of his pitching hand. 

answer As long as he is at least 9 feet from the pitching rubber this is OK. Rule 8.02

The pitcher receives a new ball and rubs it on his uniform. 

answer The pitch is call a ball on the first offense. If he does it again the pitcher is ejected. Rule 8.02

With a runner on first the pitcher, while on the pitching rubber, throws to an unoccupied second base.  

answer It's a balk. The pitcher cannot throw or fake a throw to an unoccupied base when there's no play. Rule 8.03

The manager has already made one trip to the mound this inning. Now he goes out and talks to his first baseman and then the first baseman and the pitcher have a short meeting. 

answer If there is no play or pitch between the manager talking to a player and that player talking to the pitcher then it's charged as a trip to the mound. The pitcher must be removed. Rule 8.06

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Page last updated 08/05/03