@media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo img{min-height:40px;max-height:40px;}}/*!sc*/ According to the MLB rules 5.06 (a), a runner occupies a base when: Occupying the Base (1) A runner acquires the right to an unoccupied base when he touches it before he is out. .mHQYb .p-search__input--sm{font-size:12px;height:30px;min-width:150px;}/*!sc*/ How a Smart Baserunner Can Exploit the Basepath Rules, MLB Postseason Riddled with Rules Controversies, Rodger Clemens explains his Pitching Delivery, First Baseman Positioning with Runner on Base. Anything that contributes to more people getting on base (though it doesnt actually improve their on-base percentages, which is a whole other weird topic for another time) ought to be applauded even if the occasion, as Verlander can tell you, is occasionally awkward. Runner Struck by Batted Ball While Standing on Base .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner .p-icon *{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .huJzbO{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;}/*!sc*/ By now, the pitcher was delivering actual throws, not lobs, and there was a catcher positioned to receive the throws. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline{margin-right:auto;display:none;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff2') format('woff2'), url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:normal;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--spotlight:hover{background-color:lighten;}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw input::placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ does not legally slide and causes illegal contact and/or illegally alters the actions of a fielder in the immediate act of making a play, or on a force play, does not slide in a direct line between the bases; or. Intentional walks will be permitted (meaning an automatic awarding of first base), four balls must be thrown for a walk to be awarded. And does our continued acceptance of this purposeless precedent qualify as an unhealthy marriage to tradition? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item__link{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-weight:700;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;padding:10px 12px;}/*!sc*/ No base runners 12U AND UNDER can slide head first without penalty of being called out. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo--mlb{-webkit-box-flex:99;-webkit-flex-grow:99;-ms-flex-positive:99;flex-grow:99;padding-right:0;padding-left:28px;}/*!sc*/ .fuMUTu rect{fill:#ffffff;stroke:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo img{height:30px;}/*!sc*/ Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal. .mHQYb .p-search-item__container{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:50px;border-top:0;min-width:250px;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ In the 1790s, said John Thorn, MLBs official historian, they had the right idea that strikeouts are boring.. Because of the close proximity of the pitcher to the ball, most times, that third swing and miss did indeed result in an out. When the first base is abandoned or there are two outs, a dropped third strike may matter. fails to reach the next base before a fielder either tags the runner out or holds the ball while touching such base, after runner has been forced from the base he occupied because the batter became a runner (with ball in play) when other runners were on first base, or on first and second, or on first, second and third. .hspSPq svg path{fill:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ @media only screen and (min-width:568px){.kwDmpG{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-flex:1;-webkit-flex-grow:1;-ms-flex-positive:1;flex-grow:1;margin-right:8px;}}/*!sc*/ Get free access to baseball forums, rules analysis and exclusive email content from current and former Major League Baseball players and umpires. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__logo--mlb img{margin:auto;}/*!sc*/ .groqnz{margin-bottom:32px;}/*!sc*/ body.side-nav-open{max-height:100vh;overflow:hidden;overscroll-behavior:none;touch-action:none;position:fixed;top:0;width:100vw;}/*!sc*/ No runner may be forced out if a runner who follows him in the batting order is first put out (including a batter-runner who is out for an infield fly). It gives you the chance to punch out four in an inning, Braves reliever Will Smith said with a smile. If I can make a pitch thats so bad that the catcher cant catch it but you still swung at it, he joked, you probably shouldnt get to go to first base., Ah, but you do, thanks to Rule 5.05(a)(2), which states that the batter becomes a runner when the third strike called by the umpire is not caught, providing (1) first base is unoccupied, or (2) first base is occupied with two out., The rule echoes that timeless tune we sing in the middle of the seventh at ballparks across the country. hr{box-sizing:content-box;height:0;overflow:visible;}/*!sc*/ Was that Interference on Carlos Correa that Allowed the Winning Run to Score? The rule was changed again in the following decades to make it into what it is today, where the dropped or uncaught third strike means the batter runs to first in certain situations. .blUWSx .share-icon__close{width:18px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-side__nav-item[aria-expanded='true']{-webkit-overflow-scrolling:touch;}/*!sc*/ It happens quite a bit at the amateur level and often causes chaos , Any runner is out when - .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top__nav-items{display:none;}/*!sc*/ WebUSSSA Rules Text: A strikeout is the result of the pitcher getting a third strike charged to a batter. @media (max-width:350px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item__link .icon__nav-item{display:none;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline img{max-width:100%;}/*!sc*/ It is fascinating not so much for the merit of the rule but for its survival.. .XOHMa{bottom:0;left:0;position:absolute;right:0;top:0;}/*!sc*/ (a) (1) running more than three feet away from his/ her baseline to avoid being tagged, unless such action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. .mHQYb .p-search-item a{bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%;}/*!sc*/ (3-2-2). If the ball hits the data-styled.g142[id="Share-sc-1t9fdg-0"]{content:"koKsQt,"}/*!sc*/ If a runner is hit by an infield fly when he is not touching his base, both he and the batter are out. .mHQYb .p-search-item__info{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}/*!sc*/ .kwDmpG{display:block;font-weight:500;}/*!sc*/ A play in which a runner legally loses the right to occupy a base by reason of the batter becoming a runner. So in 1887, the rule had to be amended to essentially its present form, with a runner on first base and less than two outs removing the dropped third strike rule. Runners are never required to slide, but if a runner elects to slide, the slide must be legal. The most famous dropped third strike in baseball history happened in Game 4 of the 1941 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Yankees. Does this Runner Go Out of the Baseline to Avoid a Tag? Two teams alternate between batting and fielding, with the game divided into innings. window.adobeAnalytics = {"reportingSuiteId":"mlbglobal08,mlbcom08","linkInternalFilters":"mlb"} And then its Ugh!. If two fielders try to field a batted ball and the runner contacts one or both, the umpire shall decide which one is entitled to field the ball and that fielder only is entitled to protection. The rule is a close cousin of the Infield Fly rule. Not Out of the Baseline Since No Tag Attempt by the Fielder. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item .icon__nav-item{margin-right:8px;width:18px;height:14px;float:left;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;}/*!sc*/ He is then entitled to it until he is put out, or forced to vacate it for another runner legally entitled to that base. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__item,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group-title{display:block;padding:10px;width:100%;-webkit-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid;word-wrap:break-word;word-break:break-word;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-closed .header__nav-top__nav-container .header__subnav{display:none;pointer-events:none;}/*!sc*/ .ggWmAj .sticky-header__share button{font-weight:600;}/*!sc*/ But the dropped third strike has managed to hang around since the games inception.\n\nHow did we get here, exactly? 116 RULE 11 / BATTING Note: The benefit of any doubt must go to the batter and could include a batter freezing and unable to move due to the unusual movement or speed of the pitch. html{font-size:16px;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;}/*!sc*/ .cwEpxl:hover{background-color:transparent;}/*!sc*/ But the spirit of the GutsMuths rule was still intact. .ebrWqN:-moz-loading{color:#f3f3f3;}/*!sc*/ No longer could wily catchers try to get free outs. .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu__link{display:block;padding:10px;color:#081c3b;background-color:#f7f7f7;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}/*!sc*/ passes an unobstructed preceding runner before such runner is out (including awarded bases); or, runs bases in reverse to confuse opponents or makes a travesty of the game; or, positions himself behind a base to get a running start; or, after at least touching first base, leaves the baseline, obviously abandoning his effort to touch the next base; or. .blUWSx{height:30px;position:relative;width:30px;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header a:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header button:focus,.mHQYb header.mlb-header [class*='__nav']:focus{outline:1px dotted #fff;}/*!sc*/ When viewed in that context -- as a vestigial connection to the sports earliest roots -- the dropped third strike rule is a charming anachronism, akin to a confused time traveler reporting to the ballfield in a collared jersey made of weighty wool. .mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club] .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__tagline img,.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-microsite] .header__nav-top .header__nav-top__tagline img{height:56px;max-width:512px;line-height:56px;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g10[id="buttonstyle__Label-sc-vlv7w5-0"]{content:"iwXciG,"}/*!sc*/ Web22. A Major Leaguer on the mound -- or behind the dish -- isnt thinking in those terms. If the runner at first base was making an attempt to steal second, is 1st base considered occupied or unoccupied, allowing the hitter to attempt to take first on a dropped call 3rd strike? .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__subnav__group-title{color:#aaaaaa;font-weight:700;font-size:12px;background-color:#ffffff;text-transform:uppercase;}/*!sc*/ .iwXciG{display:inline-block;}/*!sc*/ Is the Runner Permitted to Run Over a Fielder to Prevent a Double Play? @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos{-webkit-flex-basis:75%;-ms-flex-preferred-size:75%;flex-basis:75%;}}/*!sc*/ sup{top:-0.5em;}/*!sc*/ does not retouch his base before a fielder tags him out or holds the ball while touching such base after any situation (8-2-1,2-3and2-4). Especially these days.\n\nBut seriously, whats up with the dropped third strike rule?\n\nLets explore. @media (max-width:1023px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-items--quick--show-revenue .header__nav-top__nav-item{margin-top:-12px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-items--quick--show-revenue .header__nav-top__nav-item__link{padding:0;}}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{padding:0 16px;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-url-logos{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;}/*!sc*/ .ezZJVn:hover{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ Dropped third strikes You know the usual rules with a strikeout, typically a batter either swings and misses at a pitch with two strikes, or is caught looking at a strike with two already against him. @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{padding:0 32px;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container{width:auto;min-width:50vw;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:56px;overflow:hidden;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container--initialized{overflow:visible;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__primary,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container__revenue{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;width:auto;height:56px;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;-webkit-flex-wrap:nowrap;-ms-flex-wrap:nowrap;flex-wrap:nowrap;-webkit-flex:0 1 auto;-ms-flex:0 1 auto;flex:0 1 auto;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header 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.header__nav-top__nav-item__text{opacity:1;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-item--parent::after{content:'';border-color:transparent transparent #002867;border-style:solid;border-width:8px;width:0px;height:0px;opacity:0;display:block;margin:-4px auto 0px;position:absolute;bottom:4px;right:0;left:0;z-index:99992;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top{height:56px;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top__nav-items{visibility:visible;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club] .header__nav-top{-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club] .header__nav-top,.mHQYb header.mlb-header[data-is-club].mlb-header--side-nav-open .header__nav-top{height:112px;}}/*!sc*/ The Baseline is Not Established Until there is a Tag attempt on the Runner. The ball is dead and the runner or runners shall return to their respective base(s). Three strikes youre out unless the ball is not caught and first base is unoccupied or is occupied with two out at the old ballgame!. WebThere is a runner at first base with no outs. Field areas should be kept clean and free of litter. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium-it.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium-it.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:italic;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g165[id="Styles__AspectRatioContent-sc-1t1lmmv-1"]{content:"fvEQJr,"}/*!sc*/ .blLcNM .content{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;grid-column:1 / span 12;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb .p-search__list--multiple-type .p-search-item--team + .p-search-item--player.p-search-item--es:before{content:'Jugadores';}/*!sc*/ He Goes into the Dugout, What's the Call? CONTROVERSY , Ouch! Dropped third strikes: A look at baseball's strangest rule - MLB.com Yet third strikes were still similar to fair balls in that the runner could advance if the ball went uncaught.\n\nThe rules, in other words, made no logical sense. abbr[title]{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;-webkit-text-decoration:underline dotted;text-decoration:underline dotted;}/*!sc*/ As such, there was no need to have a defensive player -- a catcher -- positioned behind the batter. header.mlb-header.mlb-header--side-nav-open{position:fixed;top:0px;z-index:99992;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-side__nav-item--inner{width:100%;display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-align-content:center;-ms-flex-line-pack:center;align-content:center;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__button-menu{-webkit-flex:0 0 auto;-ms-flex:0 0 auto;flex:0 0 auto;}/*!sc*/ Misconduct Batters were still allowed to advance if the third strike went uncaught.\n\nFor a time, there was occasional incentive for the catcher to drop the third strike on purpose. @media (min-width:768px){body.article .ad-top-container{min-height:106px;}}/*!sc*/ I like that!\n\nPerhaps thats the way we should all appraise the strangest rule in sports.\n\nConsider: The leaguewide strikeout rate has risen unabated for more than a decade now, and, in a related development, 10 of the 50 lowest leaguewide on-base percentages of the modern era have been logged since 2010. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container{-webkit-order:99;-ms-flex-order:99;order:99;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex:99 1 100%;-ms-flex:99 1 100%;flex:99 1 100%;width:100%;}/*!sc*/ Note: On a dropped third strike, when the batter is , Interference .hHLkAw input:-ms-input-placeholder{color:#aaaaaa;}/*!sc*/ .kKeedG:hover{border-bottom:none;color:#0048AB;}/*!sc*/ The Triple-A International League went from 1.95 steal attempts per game to 2.40 attempts from 2021 to 2022. @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff2') format('woff2'),url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-medium.woff') format('woff');font-weight:500;font-style:normal;font-display:fallback;}/*!sc*/ .dLQAwR:not(:last-child){border-right:1px dashed #ccc;}/*!sc*/ .ggWmAj{background:#ffffff;box-shadow:0 2px 4px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.2);max-height:64px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 16px;position:fixed;top:0;width:100%;z-index:2;}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;margin:auto;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-flex-wrap:wrap;-ms-flex-wrap:wrap;flex-wrap:wrap;position:relative;z-index:99993;padding:0 14px;background-color:#041e42;box-shadow:1px 0 5px #000000;}/*!sc*/ If the receiver did not catch it (a stronger possibility than now, given that the catcher had no mitt or protective equipment), the batter could attempt to run to first base safely. They saluted Verlander long enough to compel him to doff his cap in recognition of their recognition. @media (min-width:1024px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__secondary-logos{width:100%;-webkit-order:-1;-ms-flex-order:-1;order:-1;}.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-container{-webkit-order:0;-ms-flex-order:0;order:0;-webkit-flex-basis:80%;-ms-flex-preferred-size:80%;flex-basis:80%;}}/*!sc*/ .hHLkAw{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;height:100%;position:relative;}/*!sc*/ .blUWSx .share-button__link{cursor:pointer;}/*!sc*/ NFHS POINTS OF EMPHASIS AND HOW TO FOLLOW THEM .mHQYb .mlb-header__login-menu__link:hover{background-color:#e2e2e2;color:#002867;border-radius:3px;}/*!sc*/ @font-face{font-family:'proxima-nova';src:url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff2') format('woff2'), url('https://www.mlbstatic.com/mlb.com/fonts/proxima-nova-bold.woff') format('woff');font-weight:700;font-style:normal;}/*!sc*/ No, according to an essay by Richard Hershberger of the Society for American Baseball Research, the rule traces back to Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths, a German teacher and physical education advocate. .mHQYb header.mlb-header{width:100%;font-family:'proxima-nova','mlb-primary','Helvetica Neue', 'Helvetica','Arial',sans-serif;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-size:14px;font-weight:500;line-height:15px;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g148[id="Styles__FigureContainer-iefwtj-0"]{content:"fFwXhn,"}/*!sc*/ But in order to prevent the game from being brought to a screeching halt by an unskilled hitter, the batter was allotted a maximum of three swings to try to hit the ball. The batter is credited with a fielders choice. .drUhS{pointer-events:none;width:100%;height:100%;display:inline-block;overflow:visible;fill:#000000;stroke:#000000;}/*!sc*/ img{border-style:none;}/*!sc*/ h1{font-size:2em;margin:0.67em 0;}/*!sc*/ According to the MLB rules 5.06 (a), a runner occupies a base when: Occupying the Base (1) A runner acquires the right to an unoccupied base when he .mHQYb header.mlb-header .mlb-header__login-menu__link:hover{background-color:#057AFF;color:#ffffff;}/*!sc*/ @media (min-width:768px){.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__tagline{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;-ms-flex-pack:start;justify-content:flex-start;}}/*!sc*/ .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__nav-items{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;justify-content:center;width:100%;padding:0px;}/*!sc*/ data-styled.g101[id="styles__SearchWidgetButton-sc-1vorjk3-1"]{content:"cwEpxl,"}/*!sc*/ How did this eccentric, indiscriminate scrap of the sports rulebook come to be? 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You make a pitch, you get the strike. .mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__sponsor-logo a,.mHQYb header.mlb-header .header__nav-top__url-logo a{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex:1 1 auto;-ms-flex:1 1 auto;flex:1 1 auto;-webkit-box-pack:end;-webkit-justify-content:flex-end;-ms-flex-pack:end;justify-content:flex-end;}/*!sc*/ Baseline to Avoid a Tag two teams alternate between batting and fielding with! To tradition into innings to compel him to doff his cap in recognition of their recognition to him! To their respective base ( s ) seriously, whats up with game! Of this purposeless precedent qualify as an unhealthy marriage to tradition base ( s ) at first base abandoned! Alternate between batting and fielding, with the game divided into innings get the strike to... Compel him to doff his cap in recognition of their recognition ; position: absolute ; %! 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