Foul Tip/Foul Ball

[fritz]

We all know that a foul tip is a pitch, tipped by the bat, that goes directly to the catcher's hand or mitt and is controlled - and the batter is not out unless it is strike three.

But, how much arc is necessary before it is considered a caught foul ball instead? What about a ball that is tipped by the bat, hits the catcher's mitt, then his chest protector, pops up slightly and is re-secured by the catcher? Foul tip or foul ball (and an out)?

Had this occur on an attempted bunt; on the attempt, batter fouled it directly back to the catcher with an arc of about 2 feet or so (6th grade and a slow pitch) and go directly to the catcher without him having to stand up or anything. I called it a foul tip since the catcher didn't even have to move out of his stance. The other coach wanted a caught foul ball and the batter out since it didn't "line drive" into the catcher's mitt.

What is your call?

[jbrowar16]

Your call is correct. That cannot be considered a foul pop up.

[fritz]

Thanks JB; so at what point would it be considered a foul pop? If there is only one strike on the batter and he fouls it back to the catcher - how do you decide whether it was a foul tip for strike two or a foul pop for an out? Has to pop up higher than the batter's head or something like that?

[Jon Schlobotnik]

Definition of "Foul Tip" from the Major League Rulebook (Rule 2.00):

"A FOUL TIP is a batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the ball is in play. It is not a catch if it is a rebound, unless the ball has first touched the catcher’s glove or hand."

The key words as I read it in this case are "sharp and direct". The way you described it, any kind of an arc would seem to oppose the "sharp and direct" verbiage, so I suspect it was a foul ball - not a foul tip - batter out, though it's difficult to say without having actually witnessed it (not to mention I'd never deign to disagree with UIC Browar). There is no verbiage in the rule or any approved ruling or notes that defines the difference between a foul tip and a foul ball (such as "over the batter's head") aside from the aforementioned "sharp and direct" terminology.

Regarding your second paragraph, Fritz, "a ball that is tipped by the bat, hits the catcher's mitt, then his chest protector, pops up slightly and is re-secured by the catcher" fits the definition of a FOUL TIP. The key here is that it must go directly from the bat to the catcher's mitt (or hands). So long as the catcher touches it with his hand or mitt first and the ball doesn't hit the ground (or something else, like the umpire), if the catcher is able to secure the ball after it hits his glove or hand, it's a foul tip. Otherwise, it becomes a foul ball, though under no circumstances if it goes directly from the bat "sharp and direct" to the catcher's hand or mitt could it become a foul out (since if the catcher secures it, it's a tip, if he doesn't, it could not be a "catch").

[fritz]

Thanks for the clarification JS; looks like we are all on the same page!

[shep4]

Re-review of the application of this rule. High school game last night. Attempted bunt goes into the air. Catcher stands contacts ball at about head level. Ball bounces off his glove, then his mask and then into his glove. Ball does go from bat to glove to mask to glove and catch, but not 'sharp and direct.' I called foul and catch. Offensive coach wanted foul tip. Which is correct and does the mask contact matter?

[fritz]

Well, the mask contact does not matter if the ball hit the glove first As for the rest, see Jon S's explanation to my earlier post.

You state that the ball to glove was not "sharp and direct" but then say that the catcher contacts the ball at about head level. If you mean that the ball popped up, the catcher stood up, then caught the ball around his head, then you have a foul ball, caught, Batter out as you called. If the bunt attempt line-drived back to the catcher's mitt at head level, then you would have a tip.