Baseball rules question

[Asimovian]

Yesterday, I found myself with a ticket to a baseball game with front row seats on the field level, just on the fair side of the foul-pole. In other words, home run territory. Sitting in the seat, I started daydreaming about the chances of catching a home run ball, but I also realized that unless the ball was a line drive homer, the left fielder would have plenty of time to saunter over and take the ball out of my hands since it was in the first row.

So then I got to thinking: say the batter hits an absolutely towering shot that gives the fielder forever and a day to get into position to make a play, but the ball is clearly going to land in the stands somewhere. We see highlight plays fairly often where a player runs up the outfield wall or dives into the stands to try to make a great catch.

But what if the player had time to actually climb the wall and into the stands to get into position? Is this legal? Can a player actually leave the field of play in order to make a catch? And is there a distinction between balls hit into fair or foul territory in such a circumstance?

Just curious.

[Rysto]

I believe that being in the stands would count as being “out of play” and any catch made out of play would not count. But I’m not a baseball rules guru, just a former softball umpire.

[Saint_Cad]

Rule 2.00 (Catch) Comment: A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball. A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of demarcation to make a catch. He may jump on top of a railing, or canvas that may be in foul ground. No interference should be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk.
If a fielder, attempting a catch at the edge of the dugout, is “held up” and kept from an apparent fall by a player or players of either team and the catch is made, it shall be allowed.

6.05
A batter is out when –
(a) His fair or foul fly ball (other than a foul tip) is legally caught by a fielder;
Rule 6.05(a) Comment: A fielder may reach into, but not step into, a dugout to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. A fielder, in order to make a catch on a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet on or over the playing surface (including the lip of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside the dugout or in any other out-of-play area. Ball is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal catch, falls into a dugout or other out-of-play area, in which case the ball is dead.

So basically, if a fielder is completely off of the field of play at the time of the catch, it does not count.

[aktep]

The rules state:

@OBR 2.0

A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in his hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it; providing he does not use his cap, protector, pocket or any other part of his uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his contact with the ball, he collides with a player, or with a wall, or if he falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball. It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball and that his release of the ball is voluntary and intentional. A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball.** A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of demarcation to make a catch. He may jump on top of a railing, or canvas that may be in foul ground. No interference should be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball.** He does so at his own risk. If a fielder, attempting a catch at the edge of the dugout, is “held up” and kept from an apparent fall by a player or players of either team and the catch is made, it shall be allowed.

Which implies that he can’t fully leave play and set up for the ball.

[Garfield226]

From the definition of “Catch”:

A fielder may reach over a fence, railing, rope or other line of demarcation to make a catch. He may jump on top of a railing, or canvas that may be in foul ground. No interference should be allowed when a fielder reaches over a fence, railing, rope or into a stand to catch a ball. He does so at his own risk.

(http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/official_rules/definition_terms_2.jsp)

There’s also this:

6.05
A batter is out when –
(a) His fair or foul fly ball (other than a foul tip) is legally caught by a fielder;
Rule 6.05(a) Comment: A fielder may reach into, but not step into, a dugout to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. A fielder, in order to make a catch on a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet on or over the playing surface (including the lip of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside the dugout or in any other out-of-play area.

But that appears to only apply to foul balls.

That’s all I could find. I thought perhaps there would be a specific prohibition on fielders “leaving the field of play” while the ball is live or somesuch, but nothing. They have to be positioned in fair territory when the ball is put in play, but obviously they can leave fair territory to make a catch.

An aside: I find it interesting that the home team’s manager makes the determination whether the field is fit for play or whether the game should start because of weather. I always thought that was the ump’s call.