Say the center fielder gets to the fence first but the ball is coming in very high. The right fielder runs up to the center fielder who locks his fingers together in a basket that the right fielder steps onto and gets launched into the air to make the improbable catch. Pandemonium ensues. Legal?
2nd question. This come from a video I saw where a table tennis player tosses his paddle to a wide ball which hits it fairly onto the table. So - can a fielder toss his glove into the air, which catches the ball, and the glove falls back to the fielder who inserts his hand into it. Fly out?
I believe this is a legal catch - an analogous situation is when a player tries to make a play near a dugout, the players in the dugout can legally keep him from falling into the dugout.
All runners, including the batter-runner, are entitled to three bases. Ball is in play and the batter-runner may attempt to score, and may be put out if the attempt is made. Rule 5.06(b)(4)(C).
It sounds dangerous though, and I can’t imagine a manager being very happy with any players who try an “alley-oop” stunt like the one in the OP. I’ve seen players be on the IL for months when putting themselves at risk to catch an out. There are over 160 games a year, and risking your health for one out is not helping your team at all.
I would think this is a fair catch. There are a few examples where a ground ball is hit back to the pitcher, he picks it up but can’t get the ball out of his glove, so he tosses the glove, with the ball in it, to the first baseman, who catches the glove and ball, and steps on first for the out.
How does that work, that they’re entitled to 3 bases but the ball is still in play? Anyone already on base automatically scores. The batter is entitled to third, does he have to run 1st-2nd-3rd, then if he thinks he can make it home he runs there? It seems far more likely the runners & batter-runner will just stop at whatever base they actually make it to, then the umpires talk for 10 minutes & then let everyone advance. While the manager of the team in the field screams at the umps.
ETA: Presumably the rule was written to prevent a fielder from throwing his glove at a ground ball that was going to get past him, not the highly improbable “throw your glove at a fly ball then catch them both” Bugs Bunny-esque scenario in the OP.
I believe the rule requires the fielder to have “control” of the ball. Two examples from the Mets back in the 80s:
The first time I saw a pitcher throw his mitt to first base with the ball stuck in it, Keith Hernandez caught it and had the presence of mind to show the umpire that he was holding onto the ball itself. Hitter out.
Another time center fielder Lenny Dykstra (who was no genius) dove for a fly ball and got it in the glove. But the glove came off his hand while he tumbled away. He then picked up the glove, thinking he had the out, showing the umpire the ball was still in it. Hitter safe - Dykstra did not have control of the ball.
Yes, this is exactly it. If you throw your glove at a batted ball and hit it it’s 3 bases; if you throw your glove at a thrown ball and hit it all runners are awarded 2 bases. Either way, the ball is still live and runners can continue to advance at their own peril.
For what it’s worth, it’s fairly standard, in some situations, for rugby players to hold their teammates above their heads in order to make a catch. As I understand it, it wasn’t always the standard, but someone did it once, nobody could find a rule against it, it worked well, and so soon everyone was doing it.
Exactly correct. If a fielder throws his glove at the ball, and it touches the ball, the ball remains in play until timeout is called. At that point, the umpires will rule that all runners who were on base are entitled to score. If the batter-runner is on first or second, he will be awarded third base. If, during the play, he thinks he can score, he can be tagged out.
Note that the thrown glove must touch the ball for this penalty to be enforced. If a glove is thrown, and it doesn’t touch the ball, the play continues as normal.
From the MLB rule book:
5.06(b)(4): Each runner including the batter-runner may, without
liability to be put out, advance:
…
(C) Three bases, if a fielder deliberately throws his glove
at and touches a fair ball. The ball is in play and the
batter may advance to home base at his peril;
So if the ball stays in play, this is a possible scenario:
Bases loaded, 2 outs, batter hits a hard grounder between 1st & 2nd. Second baseman throws his glove at the ball, ball stops dead. He picks up the ball, throws it to first and gets the batter out, inning over. After the play, the umpire cites 5.06(b)(4)(c), and the result changes from end of inning to 3 runs score, batter is standing on 3rd, still 2 outs. I can’t imagine the pandemonium that would cause. I honestly wonder the last time this rule came into play in an MLB game.
I thought it was 3 bases starting from where the runner was at the point the ball was touched. If the batter-runner is past first base already wouldn’t they be awarded home?
The ball is in play, and the
award is made from the position of the runner at the
time the ball was touched.
It is confusing because all the subsequent lines say the batter may advance to home at his peril, but if the infraction happens after the batter rounds first I think he would be awarded home.
Can one fielder assist another to make a catch in MLB?
When I read this question, my thoughts were about ball tipping. Like, the batter hits the pitch back to the pitcher, who deflects it but fails to catch it, and then the second baseman catches it. Out?
What about volleys? Can a player volley the ball, as in intentionally bumping, swatting, or heading it, instead of catching and throwing it?
Probably. But I find it difficult to envision a scenario where the ball is touched by a thrown glove after the batter-runner has touched first base. Perhaps if a ball is hit into an outfield corner and caroms past the outfielder, but even then I doubt that the batter-runner has reached first base when the thrown glove touches the ball.