Dead Ball?
Quiz I
In each situation is the ball dead immediately or delayed until play is stopped?
#1: Batter is hit by the pitch.
CallImmediately dead (5-1-1a) and the batter is awarded first (8-1-1d).
#2: The coach requests and the umpire grants an intentional walk.
CallImmediately dead (5-1-3 and 2-4-3). Only true in NFHS.
#3: The plate umpire has his right hand up signaling “do not pitch” to the pitcher.
CallImmediately dead (5-1-1h and page 71)
#4: A defensive player obstructs the progress of a runner.
CallDelayed dead (5-1-2b) and base awards as described in 8-3-2
#5: A runner interferes with a defensive fielder making a play on a batted ball.
CallImmediately dead (5-1-1e) and penalized in 8-4-2.
#6 The pitcher balks. The plate umpire immediately calls the balk, but the field umpire does not.
CallUnlike MLB, balks are immediate dead ball in NFHS (5-1-1k).
#7 A spectator picks up a live batted ball or a live thrown ball while it is in play.
CallImmediately dead: 5-1-1f3 and 5-1-1g1
#8 A fly ball lands half way between third base and the left field foul poll and kicks up a bunch of foul line chalk, but the home plate umpire yells "foul".
CallAn uncaught foul ball is immediately dead (5-1-1h), even if inadvertently called called foul by the umpire (2-16-1e).
#9 The batter hits the catcher's mitt with his bat as he swings and hits the ball, grounding out to the first baseman.
CallA delayed dead ball (5-1-2b).
Quiz II
When is the baseball dead? In which of the situations below is the ball dead as soon as the infraction occurs? Which situations below must the umpire wait until the end of the playing action -- at which time the umpire may declare the ball dead or may ignore the infraction (if ignored, why?)
#1 The pitcher balks.
CallThe ball is dead immediately regardless of whether the pitch is thrown or not (5-1-1k). In MLB, the ball is immediately dead if the ball is not thrown, or thrown but not put in play by the batter. In MLB, if put in play on the balk pitch, there are numerous scenarios to consider.
#2 The batter interfers with the catcher's attempt to throw out a stealing runner.
CallThe ball is dead only if the catcher does not retire the stealing runner. If the runner is retired, the interference is ignored and the ball remains live (5-1-2a).
#3 The ball is thrown out of play.
CallThe ball is dead as soon as it goes out of play (5-1-1.g3).
#4 The catcher interfers with the batter's swing.
CallThe ball is dead only if the batter does not put the ball in play and the batter and forced runners do not advance. If the batter puts the ball in play, the interference is ignored if the batter reaches first and forced runners safety advance (5-1-2a).
#5 Over-the-fence home run.
CallThe ball is dead as soon as it goes over the fence (5-1-1.f4).
#6 The umpire interferes with a ball thrown by the catcher.
CallThe ball is dead only if the catcher does not retire the runner that the catcher was attempting to retire. If retired, then the umpire interference is ignored and the ball remains live (5-1-2c). If not retired, the ball is dead and runners return to their bases at the time of the obstruction.
Quiz III
Which of these are immediately dead? Which must wait until the end of the play? If you wait until all playing action has stopped, can some be ignored?
#1 The umpire is hit by a batted ball before it passes a fielder (other than the pitcher).
CallThe ball is immediately dead. The batter is awarded first base and all forced runners advance: 5-1-1f.
#2 A defensive player obstructs the runner as he rounds second base.
CallAfter all playing action has stopped, if the runner that has been interfered with has not safely reached the base that the umpire beleived he would (had the runner not been interfered with), then time is called and he is awarded that base: 5-1-2b.
#3 A fair batted ball ricochets out of play.
CallThe ball is immediately dead and the runners are awarded two bases from the time of the pitch: 5-1-1f.
#4 A defensive player inadvertently carries the ball out of play.
CallThe ball is immediately dead and the runners are awarded one base from the time of the pitch: 5-1-1i.
#5 A runner interferes with the shortstop while he fields a batted ground ball.
CallThe ball is immediately dead. The runner is out and the batter is awarded first base. If the umpire thinks the interference prevented a double play, he can call two players out: 5-1-1e
#6 The pitcher intentionally drops a pop-up.
CallThe ball is immediately dead, the batter is out and all runners return to their base at the time of the pitch: 5-1-1j