DD and I were watching a game waiting for ours to start. No one on base, 0-2 count, ball squirted out of the pitcher’s hand. It rolled slowly on the dirt and eventually crossed the third base foul line. The fielders just stood there looking at it. The umpire very theatrically squinted at the ball lying there in the dirt and then said “Ball 1!” Everyone laughed. Eventually the third baseman picked it up and threw it back to the pitcher.
DD asked, “could the batter swing and run to 1st?”
I told her yes but most batters would rather hit than get on base that way.
Still... it got me thinking. When would be the last moment the batter could swing — when the ball stopped rolling? When the umpire called it a ball? When the third baseman touched it?
Would such an obvious “swing and miss” to get a third dropped strike be ruled illegal? Bad sportsmanship?
DD asked, “could the batter swing and run to 1st?”
I told her yes but most batters would rather hit than get on base that way.
Still... it got me thinking. When would be the last moment the batter could swing — when the ball stopped rolling? When the umpire called it a ball? When the third baseman touched it?
Would such an obvious “swing and miss” to get a third dropped strike be ruled illegal? Bad sportsmanship?