A foul tip in baseball refers to a pitched ball that makes contact with the bat and goes directly into the catcher’s mitt without hitting the ground first. Major League Baseball says it isn’t an official “foul tip” unless the ball is caught. A foul tip is called a strike and the ball is still in play.
Strike Three
For a foul tip to be considered strike three, the ball must remain in the catcher’s glove. The batter is then called out. If a foul tip hits the glove and is dropped by the catcher, it is not strike three. If the ball hits the ground before it goes into the catcher’s glove, it is also not strike three. The tipped ball must go into the glove cleanly for the batter to be called out with two strikes. An attempted bunt with two strikes that is fouled in any capacity is called strike three, whether it is caught or not.
Foul Territory
A foul tip isn’t the only situation where the ball is hit somewhere other than in the field of play. The foul territory of a baseball field extends from the first base line, all the way around behind home plate, to the third base line. Any batted ball that lands in this area is considered a foul ball and is counted as a strike. If a batted ball lands in foul territory with two strikes, the count remains the same. A fly ball that is hit and caught in foul territory is an out, just like a fly ball hit in fair territory.
The Catcher's Mitt
The catcher's mitt is typically much larger than a standard fielder's glove. It offers more padding to help keep the catcher's hand safe. The padding extends around the exterior of the pocket like a ring. The larger pocket of a catcher's mitt helps the catcher squeeze pitched or batted balls that may have otherwise deflected off of a regular glove. This feature is especially useful for catching foul tips.
Famous Defensive Catchers
Baseball catchers sometimes provide power at the plate, but their primary duties are defensive in nature. Catching foul tips, blocking balls in the dirt and throwing out base runners are all part of the job description, and they must be done well for a catcher to excel. Many famous catchers played stellar defense; the list includes Johnny Bench, Ivan Rodriguez, Gary Carter, Yogi Berra and Joe Mauer.
Member Comments