A third strike, virtually a fair ball, was in play. The hitter was out if the receiver caught it on the fly or in one bounce. If the receiver did not catch it (as was more likely given the catcher's lack of a mitt or protective equipment), the batter might attempt to go to first base safely. This is called a runner advancing a base. If the catcher throws the ball away from first base, the batter-runner can continue running until he is tagged out.
The rule was created to prevent players from hanging up bad calls at the plate. In the early days of baseball, there were no rules against runners advancing bases after strikes had been called; they only couldn't advance while a ball was in play. So if a call wasn't made at the plate, a player could charge the field in hopes of scoring from first base or third base. The use of the drop kick for offensive purposes was banned by the National League in 1869 and by the American League in 1901.
In 1913, the rule was changed to its current form to stop men from going all the way to first base when there was no chance of them getting home. Previously, if the catcher threw the ball away while his team was still batting, any batter who reached first base would be awarded a base on balls.
If the third strike went uncaught, batters were still permitted to advance. For a time, there was an incentive for the catcher to intentionally drop the third strike. A competent catcher might fumble a third strike catch and toss the ball to second to start a double play.
The "strike 'em out, throw 'em out" double play occurs when a catcher throws out a base runner attempting to steal after a strikeout. If there is no one on base after a strikeout, the catcher will usually pitch the ball to first or third base.
Third strikes were bundled in with foul balls in that catchers may still catch the ball on one bounce for an out, despite being deemed a "fair" ball. Third strikes, on the other hand, were comparable to fair balls in that the runner might advance if the ball went uncaught. In other words, the regulations made no logical sense.
If the hitter is out on strike three and the ball gets to the screen, an interesting play may occur. The batter-runner (let's suppose he's right-handed) backs up many steps and ends up on the grass outside the dirt circle while the runner on third base races towards home.
It is a foul ball if the bat and ball come into contact with each other for the second time while the hitter is gripping the bat in the batter's box. The catcher catches a third strike; or the third strike is not caught with first base occupied and less than two outs (2-16-2); or if it is caught by an infielder.
A third strike is thrown when the pitcher wants to record a double play and there are no runners on base. If a third strike is caught by the catcher, he will signal for the ball from his position behind the plate. The umpire will then call "foul" and give the batter another chance to hit a ball across the diamond.
In Major League Baseball, only catchers can catch foul balls with their hands. Infielders can make any effort to tag out a would-be runner but cannot use their arms to stop a foul ball. Outfielders have more freedom to track down fly balls since many of them are likely to be caught before they reach the ground. However, some outfielders take advantage of errant throws from inside the park if they are able to get a good jump on the ball.
As long as the batter does not leave the plate immediately after being called out, he is allowed one more swing at a foul ball before he is considered out. The at-bat is finished once the batter takes his last swing or leaves the plate.
On a third strike, if the ball touches the ground, the batter is permitted to advance to first base. If the batter safely advances to first base, the defense receives no out. It may appear to be an odd regulation, but it ensures that hitters who strike out have a second chance to reach first base. A rule that would allow a hitter to keep going until he got a base hit would be too much of a free pass for most batters; they would clear the yard every time they get a good pitch to hit.
In fact, since the implementation of the three-strike rule in 1998, only one player has managed to do so in more than 100 such attempts: Barry Bonds. Between 1998 and 2001, Bonds struck out at least once in nearly half his plate appearances during that period.
During that same period, there were only two other players who struck out at least 100 times. One of them was Larry Bowa, who had more than 1,000 plate appearances during that span. The other was Mark McGwire, who led the Major Leagues with 176 strikeouts in 1998. Both men were well on their way to hitting for power before the three-strike rule was introduced.
It's difficult to say just how many strikes are enough. While some people think three is too few, others believe that five or six are too many. The only thing we can say for sure is that there will never be "enough" strikes on the baseball field.
When a hitter glances at strike three or swings and misses at strike three and the ball is not caught or dropped by the catcher, the batter becomes a runner and can attempt to reach first base before being tagged by the catcher or thrown out at first base.
The act of swinging at a pitch with no chance of reaching home plate is called batting down a line. If the pitcher changes angles or speeds up his delivery, this may cause the batter to miss the pitch completely. Such pitches were common in the old-style baseball used throughout much of the 19th century, when speed was important for hitters.
Batters who fail to meet the ball with the bat face are said to have swung and missed. If they do so intentionally as part of a plan of action, they are called balks. If they happen by accident, they are called wild pitches. Wild pitches result in walks for the batter and often force the battering team to replace him. A batter who has been walked is said to have been balked. A batter who has been wild pitched is said to have been balked or hit by a wild pitch.
Balked pitches are illegal if the batter is able to get a good look at the ball: while he is standing in the box waiting for the pitcher to deliver the ball.
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