# Strange Play: Chicago vs. Baltimore (8/23)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255
**Category:** The Game Room
**Tags:** baseball-mlb
**Created:** [August 24, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255 "2022-08-24T23:40:54Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [August 24, 2022, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/1 "2022-08-24T23:40:54Z")
If anyone caught this game last night, the top of the 8th found Chicago with runners on the corners. Then, what could only be a wild pitch (due to its crazy trajectory in my opinion), advanced the runner on 1st to 2nd, but the runner on 3rd did not come home. Instead, the pitcher covered the plate as-if the ball were still live. Could this have been deemed a pass ball, and does a pass ball remain live? I thought, in either case, both runners are entitled to advance a base. Maybe someone may find a video online of this…and explain.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/2 "2022-08-25T01:11:59Z")
[With either a wild pitch or a passed ball the runners can advance at their own risk](https://baseballrulesacademy.com/official-rule/mlb/9-13-wild-pitches-passed-balls/). Having the pitcher run to cover home plate while the catcher goes after the ball is standard anytime. The pitch is neither a wild pitch nor a passed ball until the Official Scorer rules on it.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/3 "2022-08-25T01:14:30Z")
I was gonna say, what you saw was the normal state of affairs.
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### Author:  [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/4 "2022-08-25T01:16:18Z")
> [@Jinx](#):
>
> Could this have been deemed a pass ball, and does a pass ball remain live? I thought, in either case, both runners are entitled to advance a base.
According to the play-by-play from this game, it was indeed ruled a wild pitch. Both a wild pitch and a passed ball are still ‘live’ balls, and runners advance at their peril. In either case, runners are not automatically entitled to advance a base.
ETA Ninja’ed by @Kent_Clark!
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### Author:  [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/5 "2022-08-25T11:26:14Z")
If the ball ends up in the stands they get to automatically advance.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/6 "2022-08-25T15:35:22Z")
Here’s a wild pitch/passed ball compilation where you can see how it normally plays out (which is exactly what you saw on 8/23).
Well, the first one shown is actually an example of where you would get just a base: when the ball ends up in the stands. Otherwise, the following plays mostly are the typical ball-gets-past-the-catcher, pitcher-covers-home types.
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9AD31G9C0I)
And here’s an entertaining bases loaded wild pitch (though I feel this is more a passed ball) that clears the bases:
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pthzv-nQoRE)
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### Author:  [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/7 "2022-08-25T16:01:53Z")
A side note: The rules of baseball are divided into the playing rules and the scoring rules. The playing rules are about things like how a batter can be put out, the layout of the field, what a strike is, what a ball is, when the ball becomes dead, etc. That is, rules about how the game is played. The scoring rules are about record-keeping—what constitutes an earned run, when a batter is credited with a base hit, when a fielder should be charged with an error, etc. Nothing in the scoring rules affects the outcome of events on the field.
The distinction between a wild pitch and a passed ball is part of the scoring rules. It can affect whether the pitcher is charged with an earned run. But, like the other scoring rules, it has no effect on things like whether the ball is live.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/8 "2022-08-25T16:06:46Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#):
>
> The distinction between a wild pitch and a passed ball is part of the scoring rules. It can affect whether the pitcher is charged with an earned run. But, like the other scoring rules, it has no effect on things like whether the ball is live.
Exactly – in either case, the way that it plays out is exactly the same: the ball is live and loose, and any runners on base can attempt to advance (at their own peril, as mentioned above).
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### Author:  [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)
#### Post date: [August 25, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/9 "2022-08-25T17:17:43Z")
Several years ago, I had a question about a similar situation. Unlike the OP’s situation, mine involved a wild pitch or passed ball on a dropped third strike that allowed the batter (Javy Baez) to reach first base. The catcher was hesitant to throw the ball to first base because he was concerned that a runner on third base would try to score.
Initially the official scorekeeper incorrectly ruled it a strikeout plus fielder’s choice. After the game, the ruling was corrected to strikeout plus wild pitch.
> [@Strange play in yesterday's Cubs game--how was it scored?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-in-yesterdays-cubs-game-how-was-it-scored/794276):
>
> During the Cubs’ 10th-inning rally against Toronto yesterday, there was a play I’ve never seen before. Javier Baez struck out swinging on a pitch in the dirt, but he made it to first base because the Toronto catcher failed to throw to first base in time. Certainly, I’ve seen this happen many times where a batter strikes out but reaches first base on a dropped third strike. What was strange about yesterday’s play was that it was not ruled a wild pitch nor a passed ball. The ball didn’t trickl…
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### Author:  [@ThatCanadianGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThatCanadianGuy)
#### Post date: [August 26, 2022, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/10 "2022-08-26T16:31:47Z")
Agree, this should be a passed ball. But the result would be the same.
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### Author:  [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2022, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/11 "2022-08-31T00:44:10Z")
Thanks for the explanation. I thought a wild pitch was somehow declared and runners are awarded one base. I guess the same is true when a pick-off throw is overthrown or the catch is missed somehow.
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### Author:  [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2022, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/12 "2022-08-31T05:03:23Z")
> [@Jinx](#):
>
> I thought a wild pitch was somehow declared and runners are awarded one base. I guess the same is true when a pick-off throw is overthrown or the catch is missed somehow.
There’s no special rule that allows a runner to steal a base, or to advance on a wild pitch, passed ball, or overthrow. A runner can try to advance any time the ball is live, at the risk of being put out.
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### Author:  [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)
#### Post date: [August 31, 2022, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-play-chicago-vs-baltimore-8-23/970255/13 "2022-08-31T15:47:52Z")
> [@Jinx](#):
>
> Thanks for the explanation. I thought a wild pitch was somehow declared and runners are awarded one base. I guess the same is true when a pick-off throw is overthrown or the catch is missed somehow.
That’s the source of your confusion. As long as a throw (wild pitch, passed ball, or a throw from a fielder) stays in the field of play, runners can advance at their own risk. If the throw winds up in the dugout, the stands, or some other out-of-bounds area, then there are rules on how a runner can advance.