Hypothetical baseball play- anyone ever see this?

[DivineBovine]

Question- 0-2 count, and the pitcher throws a ball waaay out of the strike zone and its clearly not going to be caught. Why not just swing and run like hell to first base?

 

Is it just too hard to execute in the heat of the moment? Is there a rule against it? Would it be considered poor sportsmanship?

[Fred Hornkohl]

Question- 0-2 count, and the pitcher throws a ball waaay out of the strike zone and its clearly not going to be caught. Why not just swing and run like hell to first base?

 

Is it just too hard to execute in the heat of the moment? Is there a rule against it? Would it be considered poor sportsmanship?

 

No, no, yes.

 

I believe it's happened a few times over the years, but I'll be damned if I can cite chapter and verse for you.

[sherwood921]

Question- 0-2 count, and the pitcher throws a ball waaay out of the strike zone and its clearly not going to be caught. Why not just swing and run like hell to first base?

 

Is it just too hard to execute in the heat of the moment? Is there a rule against it? Would it be considered poor sportsmanship?

 

No, no, yes.

 

I believe it's happened a few times over the years, but I'll be damned if I can cite chapter and verse for you.

 

 

I've always thought about it, but I never had the chance to do it. I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to do it either. You're trained to swing at pitches in the stike zone it would be too difficult to swing at a ball that far off the plate.

 

 

The play I've always wondered about is a check swing, 3rd strike, wild pitch. The ump gets the opinion of the first base ump, who signals that the hitter went around. Upon this, the hitter starts to run, and beats the throw by the catcher to first. Anyone know if that's ever happened?

[DivineBovine]

Question- 0-2 count, and the pitcher throws a ball waaay out of the strike zone and its clearly not going to be caught. Why not just swing and run like hell to first base?

 

Is it just too hard to execute in the heat of the moment? Is there a rule against it? Would it be considered poor sportsmanship?

 

No, no, yes.

 

I believe it's happened a few times over the years, but I'll be damned if I can cite chapter and verse for you.

 

 

I've always thought about it, but I never had the chance to do it. I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to do it either. You're trained to swing at pitches in the stike zone it would be too difficult to swing at a ball that far off the plate.

 

 

The play I've always wondered about is a check swing, 3rd strike, wild pitch. The ump gets the opinion of the first base ump, who signals that the hitter went around. Upon this, the hitter starts to run, and beats the throw by the catcher to first. Anyone know if that's ever happened?

 

 

Oh, so you're saying that Patterson might be able to pull it off?? :lol:

 

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

I can really buy that. I would imagine it might be difficult to pull off if you're zoned in on the strike zone.

 

 

The White Sox could've pulled this play off a bunch of times against Santana in the early innings today. I wonder if the batter would get thrown at the next time. I personally think it would be a smart play, and I don't see why the pitcher should get upset. After all, isn't the pitcher trying to get the batter to chase a ball out of the zone with 2 strikes?

[jyoung55]

How big of an idiot would you look if you turn around and see the catcher make a diving catch on it? Or that for some reason they did a pitch out and the catcher was standing up?

[OleMissCub]

Alot of playing baseball is instincts, I don't think I would have enough time to say "ok, that's outside, i should swing and run"

 

I think time is the main factor for that not occuring.

[frostwyrm]

I read a story about a college game with a situation like you describe. Rain was imminent, the game was not yet official, and the fielding team was way behind. The coach ordered his pitcher to intentionally walk everybody so as to prevent the game from reaching the official 5 innings before the rain came. The batting team became frustrated and starting swinging at balls way out of the zone so as to strike out and move the game along. Finally the pitcher threw a ball 5 feet over the head of a batter with 2 strikes. He swung at the ball, which sailed to the backstop and lay there. This was a live ball and a live runner, but the catcher remained in his crouch, as he didn't want to get anyone out, and the batter made no move toward 1st, as he didn't want to get on base, preferring instead to be tagged out. Eventually the ump ordered both players to make a play. There is some sort of rule covering this, something about players having to make a good faith effort to play the game properly, regardless of a potential rainout.

[Garwilly]

There is some sort of rule covering this, something about players having to make a good faith effort to play the game properly, regardless of a potential rainout.

 

Similar to when an infielder catches a line drive and then lets it fall to his feet to attempt a double play. THe ump calls the batter out on a line drive catch.

[transplanted_suburbanite]

Finally the pitcher threw a ball 5 feet over the head of a batter with 2 strikes. He swung at the ball, which sailed to the backstop and lay there. This was a live ball and a live runner, but the catcher remained in his crouch, as he didn't want to get anyone out, and the batter made no move toward 1st, as he didn't want to get on base, preferring instead to be tagged out. Eventually the ump ordered both players to make a play.

 

 

If the batter who k'd would have walked into the dugout wouldn't he have been called out then?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Alot of playing baseball is instincts, I don't think I would have enough time to say "ok, that's outside, i should swing and run"

 

I think time is the main factor for that not occuring.

 

Exactly my sentiment.

[RedSoxNation]

In HS I asked my coach that exact question and he said if I ever did it I better be sure I get to 1st safe or don't bother coming back to the dugout.