Uncaught Third Strike

The Uncaught Third Strike ( German: Not caught third strike) is a technical term from baseball. Often the Dropped Third Strike is spoken, but this is a rule technically and linguistically imprecise concept.

Definition

The Uncaught Third Strike can occur only when a pitch is executed at a batter who already has two strikes in his count. A third strike is considered Uncaught (not captured ) when the catcher catches the pitched ball after striking the ground or the ball by the umpire bounces and is then caught by the catcher. Also on Uncaught is decided when the catcher when catching not sure gets the ball under control and the ball touches the ground or by being caught directly or indirectly, in the catcher equipment and thereby is unplayable. But the catcher touches the ball with his hand or glove and can then press the right not caught ball directly to his body and hold it in so this ball is considered to be caught ( Caught strike ) within the meaning of the rule.

Result

In a Uncaught Third Strike the batter immediately becomes Runner and can try to reach first base, unless the first base is occupied, then the batter is "Out ". Are the current inning two attackers "Off", the batter is definitely the runner and may try to rule justly to reach first base, is regardless of whether another runner occupies first base at the time of the pitch and forced to advance.

Behavior of the Umpire

The umpire signaled by signs and call a third strike, he does not give the batter but "Off". The umpire may give an indication that the strike was not caught, by calling: "No catch, no catch". It is the batter as long as free to make an attempt to reach the first base until it is given by the umpire "Off". The umpire gives the batter until "Off" when it is either met by a defending player, is made by a throw to first base "off" or has left the ash area around home plate toward the dugout.

Scoring

Happened a Uncaught Third Strike, a strikeout is in the statistics sheet for the pitcher definitely be scored, but no "Off". Thereby it can happen that a pitcher obtained in one inning more than three strikeouts. In the history of Major League Baseball, there was the peculiarity of four strikeouts in one inning 57 times so far.

The meaning of Rule

This rule was introduced in order to force the defensive team, to achieve a just rule "Off". It is not considered sufficient for an "off" that the batter has made a futile attempt to beat or pitch einschätzte wrong, because that would a passive "Off" would be. The rule, therefore, expressly requires an active intervention of the defense or the " off" by leaving the home plate portion toward the dugout.

The restriction of the rule to an unoccupied first base with less than two "off" serves to prevent an intentional dropping of the ball by the catcher. So forcing a double- or triple-play is prevented, similar to the infield -fly rule.

World Series 1941

A well-known case of a ungefangenen third strikes took place in the 1941 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers. In the fourth game of the series, the Dodgers led 4-3 in the ninth inning and Brooklyn's defense had only nor make to win the game and make up for the series the Yankees outfielder Tommy Henrich.

Brooklyn pitcher Hugh Casey had two strikes against Henrich, when he threw a curveball that hit the strike zone, but so sharp turned off to down that neither Henrich nor the catcher Mickey Owen reached him. The ball rolled to the backstop and while Mickey Owen brought him back, Henrich reached first base. The remaining handed out the Yankees to score four runs even with three more hits and two walks. The Yankees won the game, and the Dodgers lost the series in five games, 4-1.