With the start of baseball and softball season less than a month away, it’s time to have Dale Anzo resume with the “Ask Anzo” feature.

By Dale Anzo

I’ll bet everyone that knows baseball and softball rules thinks they know what a catch is. Well, I beg to differ. Here is the rule as written in the rule book:

A catch is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a live ball in flight and firmly holding it, provided he does not use his cap, protector, mask, pocket, or other part of his uniform to trap the ball. The catch of a fly ball by a fielder is not completed until the continuing action of the catch is completed. A fielder who catches a ball and then runs into a wall or another player and drops the ball has not made a catch. A fielder, at full speed who catches the ball and whose initial momentum carries him several more yards after which the ball drops from his glove has not made a catch. When the fielder by his action of stopping, removing the ball from his glove, etc. signifies the initial action is completed and then drops the ball, will be judged to have made a catch.

The same definition of a catch would apply when making a double play. It is considered a catch if a fielder catches a fair or foul ball and then steps or falls into a bench, dugout, stand, bleacher, or over any boundary or barrier, such as a fence, rope, chalk line, or a pregame determined imaginary boundary line from the field of play. Falling into does include merely running against such object. It is not a catch when a fielder touches a batted ball in flight which then contacts a member of the offensive team or an umpire and is then caught by a defensive player.

Just remember to be judged a catch, the release of the ball must be voluntary. This also applies for a tag.

You might remember a M.L.B. playoff game where the catcher dives to try and tag a runner. After he tags the runner, he falls to the ground and when he hits the ground the ball comes out of his glove and they called the runner out. Well, they got that one wrong. The release of the ball was not voluntary so the runner should have been called safe.