Brandon502
Extra Hitter
Is there a written rule that states a foul ball must be higher than batter's head for it to be an out if caught by the catcher or is this a "backyard" rule?
He is asking about USSSA though. USSSA specifically says that a foul tip does not go above the batter's head
In USSSA as long as it does not go over the batter head and the first thing it hits is the catchers hands, it is a foul tip. The rule is right there in black and white.
In USSSA as long as it does not go over the batter head and the first thing it hits is the catchers hands, it is a foul tip. The rule is right there in black and white.
Yea the "directly and sharply" in the ASA book makes sense that there would be no arc. USSSA and NSA do not say "sharply"
A batted ball that goes directly from the bat, not higher than the batter's head, to the catcher's hand(s) or glove and is legally caught by the catcher.
yes and the rule says "hand" does that mean he has to catch it bare handed?
I'm not arguing what ASA is saying. Having the word "sharply" makes it clear. However, since USSSA and NSA do not have the word "sharply" you cannnot say that if it has a perceivable arc, then it is not a foul tip. Just because it was similar in the past does not make any difference. The wording in the 2016 rule book for USSSA and NSA does not define a foul tip as needing to have no perceivable arc (i.e. moving sharply to the catcher hand)
in USSSA and NSA, yesSo a ball that is contacted below the batter's waist, rises to chin level and then falls into the catcher's glove is a foul tip?
My argument is that because ASA cleared it up doesn't mean that USSSA and NSA should have the same interpretation based on their common past
It appears they want to keep it separate for FP and SP. ASA combines that for both.