Daylight Robbery Caught On Camera

[Subdeacon Joe]

That's one heckuva catch!

 

 

 

 

[Alpo]

That is a heck of a catch.

 

And if I was making the rules for baseball that would have been a home run. It went over the fence. It cleared the fence by a couple of feet and it went over the fence. He reached over and grabbed it, but that does not change the fact that it went over the fence.

 

Home run.

[Blackwater 53393]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

That is a heck of a catch.

 

And if I was making the rules for baseball that would have been a home run. It went over the fence. It cleared the fence by a couple of feet and it went over the fence. He reached over and grabbed it, but that does not change the fact that it went over the fence.

 

Home run.

 

NOPE!!! Never WAS a homer AND NEVER WILL OR SHOULD BE!!

 

Any fly ball caught before hitting the ground or a part of the grounds, except for explicit ground rules for the facility, is an OUT!

 

Even if the ball is juggled or bounces off of one player and is caught by another, so long as it doesn’t touch a part of the field or another object that is not a part of the player’s uniform or equipment, it is an OUT!!

[Subdeacon Joe]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

That is a heck of a catch.

 

And if I was making the rules for baseball that would have been a home run. It went over the fence. It cleared the fence by a couple of feet and it went over the fence. He reached over and grabbed it, but that does not change the fact that it went over the fence.

 

Home run.

 

So.... carrying that out,  a fly ball that is caught in foul territory isn't an out.

[Eyesa Horg]

1 hour ago, Alpo said:

That is a heck of a catch.

 

And if I was making the rules for baseball that would have been a home run. It went over the fence. It cleared the fence by a couple of feet and it went over the fence. He reached over and grabbed it, but that does not change the fact that it went over the fence.

 

Home run.

Looked to me like it went into his glove right above the wall. Either way, an incredible catch!

[Blackwater 53393]

Let’s reverse the situation!!

 

The fielder gets his glove on the ball, but the ball bounces out or off of the glove and goes over the fence!

 

That’s a home run!!  Even if the ball would NOT have gone over the fence if the player hadn’t touched it!!  It can bounce off of the player without touching his glove and then go over the fence and will be scored as a home run as well!!

 

It all evens out!

[Calamity Kris]

Robbed my guys of a home run.   Outstanding catch!!!

[Alpo]

How about this?

 

The ball hits the ground and bounces over the fence. That's a double, right?

 

The fielder sees it hit the ground and sees that it is going to bounce over the fence, so runs up the back wall like that guy did, and reaches over the fence and grabs the ball. After it has gone over the fence.

 

Is it still a double, or can the fielder now fire it to the first baseman and hold him at first? Or even, since the batter saw it was bouncing over and knew it was a double he was just slowly trotting down the baseline, fire it to the first baseman and put him out at first?

[Cypress Sun]

Outstanding catch!

[Blackwater 53393]

13 minutes ago, Alpo said:

How about this?

 

The ball hits the ground and bounces over the fence. That's a double, right?

 

The fielder sees it hit the ground and sees that it is going to bounce over the fence, so runs up the back wall like that guy did, and reaches over the fence and grabs the ball. After it has gone over the fence.

 

Is it still a double, or can the fielder now fire it to the first baseman and hold him at first? Or even, since the batter saw it was bouncing over and knew it was a double he was just slowly trotting down the baseline, fire it to the first baseman and put him out at first?

The ball is “in play” until it hits something not in the field of play!!  If the fielder catches the ball in that case, YES, he can throw the ball to another player to prevent the batter/runner from advancing. The batter/runner can be tagged out if caught off base, as can any other runner!

 

Edited June 11 by Blackwater 53393

[Alpo]

Yet another reason why I do not play or follow team sports.

 

I did not wish to get into an argument. I just stated the fact - if I made the rules that would have been a home run.

[Blackwater 53393]

Understanding the nuances of the game and how it’s played is essential to enjoying it!!

 

Baseball is a game of heartbreak and ecstasy! One minute you’re the hero and a minute later you might be the goat!! (Not greatest of all time)

 

Strategy and execution tempered by blind luck!!  A game of skill where success is measured by the littlest of factors.
 

Hitting a round ball squarely with a round stick and the guy in front of you trying to keep you from doing it.  You’re going to fail twice as often as you succeed if you’re really good at it!!

 

A total team sport built around individual skill, athletic ability, and talent!!

[Subdeacon Joe]

53 minutes ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

blind luck

 

Luck, blind or otherwise,  is when training and skill meet opportunity. 

 

 

 

Usually. 

[Blackwater 53393]

1 minute ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Luck, blind or otherwise,  is when training and skill meet opportunity. 

 

 

 

Usually. 

Except for the odd hop, the broken bat, the ground rule double, and the missed call!!

 

And those are usually part of the game. 🤪

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

I see where @Alpo is coming from. 
Am I correct that in basketball, a player is not allowed to extend their hand over the rim of the net to prevent the ball from going in. That area directly above the net is restricted.*

The same principle applies in Tennis. The "net" represents the retricted area.**

Theoretically, in baseball, one could then apply the same rule that the "wall" represents that restricted area.

 

Just saying. 

 

Basketball:

* A player cannot touch the ball if it is in the imaginary cylinder above the ring. These are examples of basket interference. It is legal to touch the ring or the net if the ball is above the ring and not touching the ring, even if the ball is in the imaginary cylinder above the ring.

 

Tennis:

** A player shall concede the point when: A ball in play touches that player; • That player touches the net or opponent's court while a ball is in play; • That player hits a ball before it crosses the net; • That player deliberately carries or double hits a ball; or • A ball bounces more than once in that player's court.

 

 

Edited June 12 by Father Kit Cool Gun Garth
Add clarification

[Blackwater 53393]

2 minutes ago, Father Kit Cool Gun Garth said:

I see where @Alpo is coming from. 
Am I correct that in basketball, a player is not allowed to extend their hand over the rim of the net to prevent the ball from going in. That area directly above the net is restricted.*

Theoretically, in baseball, one could then apply the same rule that the "wall" represents that restricted area.

The same principle applies in Tennis. The "net" represents the retricted area.**

Just saying. 

 

Basketball:

* A player cannot touch the ball if it is in the imaginary cylinder above the ring. These are examples of basket interference. It is legal to touch the ring or the net if the ball is above the ring and not touching the ring, even if the ball is in the imaginary cylinder above the ring.

 

Tennis:

** A player shall concede the point when: A ball in play touches that player; • That player touches the net or opponent's court while a ball is in play; • That player hits a ball before it crosses the net; • That player deliberately carries or double hits a ball; or • A ball bounces more than once in that player's court.

 

DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT GAMES!! 
 

One has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING  to do with the other.  Baseball was played for many years without any fences and if you could catch the ball on the fly or on the bounce it was in play!  If the ball was caught on the bounce, the runner could advance as many bases as he was able to without being tagged out. This still holds true, thus the “inside the park home run”.

 

The old Polo Grounds in New York City had stairs that went up between the bleachers in center field.  If the player was able to run up those stairs and catch the ball on the fly, it was an out! If the ball landed before it was caught, the batter/runner could advance at his own risk.

 

Again here, baseball is unique in that the infield dimensions are set and the foul lines are set by rule, but the other dimensions of a ballpark are fairly discretionary, hence the “Green Monster” in Boston and the “Short Porch” in both the old and new Yankee Stadiums!!

 

In the old Yankee Stadium, until they put a net/roof over it, Monument Park was in the field of play!

 

You’ll hear, if you follow baseball on TV or radio, of different ballparks having moved fences in or out or fences being raised or changed between seasons! It’s not uncommon. The Green Monster in Boston was created because the stands in that area caught fire and burned one year and the owners just put up the tall fence/wall instead of rebuilding the stands!

 

Baseball is possibly the most unique game/sport in existence with very specific rules, but played on very different and distinct fields of play!

 

Until recently, it was the only major “team sport” played without any clock!! (If you don’t count doubles tennis)

[DeaconKC]

10 hours ago, Blackwater 53393 said:

 

DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT GAMES!! 
 

One has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING  to do with the other.  Baseball was played for many years without any fences and if you could catch the ball on the fly or on the bounce it was in play!  If the ball was caught on the bounce, the runner could advance as many bases as he was able to without being tagged out. This still holds true, thus the “inside the park home run”.

 

The old Polo Grounds in New York City had stairs that went up between the bleachers in center field.  If the player was able to run up those stairs and catch the ball on the fly, it was an out! If the ball landed before it was caught, the batter/runner could advance at his own risk.

 

 

Learn something new everyday!

[Crazy Gun Barney, SASS #2428]

That is part of the baseball oddity.  I say oddity because what other team sport allows the fields to be different in every single stadium.  A football field is the same size in every stadium, every soccer pitch is the same, every basketball court is the same.  But in baseball, every field is different sized and shaped.  It doesn't even have to be symmetric, there are fields that the distance to the fence in right field is different than in left field.   Part of the joy of visiting different parks, because they are all different.

[Subdeacon Joe]

Cricket has a fixed pitch size, but a variable field size.

[Blackwater 53393]

 

What is the size of a cricket field in feet?

 

 

 

There are no fixed dimensions for the field but its diameter usually varies between 450 and 500 feet (140 and 150 m) for men's cricket, and between 360 feet (110 m) and 420 feet (130 m) for women's cricket.

 

I don’t recall cricket being played in a stadium.

[Father Kit Cool Gun Garth]

DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT GAMES!! 

Appears that Baseball has DIFFERENT RULES FOR DIFFERENT TEAMS. 

 

All baseball fields are not the same size. While the infield, including the distance between bases and the pitching mound, is standardized, the outfield dimensions can vary significantly. 
Here's why and some key differences:
• Standardized Infield:
The infield, with the diamond and pitching mound, is the same size in all MLB fields. 
• Variable Outfield:
The distances from home plate to the outfield fences can vary, particularly in the right and left field areas. 
• Minimum Distances:
MLB has mandated minimum outfield distances, but teams can still make variations within those limits. 
• Stadiums and Land:
Many old stadiums were built to fit into existing urban spaces, leading to unique and often quirky dimensions. 
• Tradition and Change:
Some teams have altered their field dimensions to create a more neutral playing environment, while others have maintained their historic designs. 
• Example:
Petco Park (San Diego) has a center field distance of 396 feet, while Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore) has a right-field distance of 318 feet, according to MLB.com. 

 

The outfield wall dimensions and heights can vary considerably from ballpark to ballpark. 
Here are some reasons why:

• Historical and geographical reasons: Early ballparks were built in urban areas with limited space, leading to unique shapes and dimensions, including varying fence heights.
• Unique park features: Teams might build higher fences in shorter sections of the outfield to prevent easy home runs or create other interesting quirks for their stadium.
• Home field advantage: Teams can create outfield dimensions that suit their players and game strategy, contributing to a home-field advantage. 

 

So, it appears on the surface that Baseball, although it has a set of rules, Teams have determined how far the outfield can be. They also can determine how high the wall at the outfield can be.
This leads to the question of home run records:
How far were the outfield walls and at what height were they when each of the current home run leaders obtained those Home Runs?

Career Home Run Record:
• Barry Bonds also holds the MLB career home run record with 762. He surpassed Hank Aaron, who hit 755, on August 7, 2007.

[Blackwater 53393]

Ballparks are sometimes even built with atmospheric conditions in mind! The baseball flies further in the rarified air of the stadium belonging to the Colorado Rockies baseball team. The outfield is enormous! It’s built that way to limit, somewhat, the number of home runs hit there. With the increase in area, the field of play is expanded to the point that covering the outfield is much more difficult, leading to many more base hits.

 

At the home ballpark of the Houston Astros, there are “ground rules” for a batted ball hitting the roof when it’s colsed. 

Batted ball strikes roof over fair territory: In Play.

If caught by fielder, batter is out and runners advance at own risk.

 

Batted ball strikes roof over foul territory: Dead Ball.

 

There are numerous ground rules in every park. Both teams are required to play by those rules.  The game is fair for both teams, but “home field advantage” is a very real thing and, because half of all the games a team plays during the regular season are home games, most teams try to build their rosters to fit their home field.

 

Wrigley Field in Chicago has ivy growing on the outfield walls! If a batted ball gets lost in the ivy, it’s a ground rule double! BUT! The ivy isn’t greened and leafed over early in the baseball season, so the play is different at different times during the season!

 

All of these nuances and those mentioned in earlier posts are what make BASEBALL what it is! The most unique, individual, unpredictable, and sometimes most aggravating game in the world!!

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 6/11/2025 at 4:00 PM, Blackwater 53393 said:

 

NOPE!!! Never WAS a homer AND NEVER WILL OR SHOULD BE!!

 

Any fly ball caught before hitting the ground or a part of the grounds, except for explicit ground rules for the facility, is an OUT!

 

Even if the ball is juggled or bounces off of one player and is caught by another, so long as it doesn’t touch a part of the field or another object that is not a part of the player’s uniform or equipment, it is an OUT!!

This ^^^^^^^