drop 3rd strike?

[Bchbum54]

DD just finished a tournament this weekend where her team lost in the championship game. Twice this fall ball season our girls have came 1 win short of being named champions. Let it be known that she plays for a 10U rec team.

Anyways, DD is the catcher for her team and on the final game. In the 4th inning, game tied 0-0 batter up with 2 outs batter strikes out. DD caught the ball had it in her mitt for about 10 seconds, batter is confused, blue directs her to the dugout. DD drops the ball as she transfers the ball from her mitt to her hand to throw the ball back to pitcher. The HC and bench yell at their batter to run to 1st. At this point batter is almost at their batting circle and runs straight across the field, almost a foot away from the pitchers circle. By this time DD already had possetion of the ball. She ran up a few feet but quickly realized there was a runner on 3rd making her way home. DD backed up back to the plate and held the ball giving the batter 1st base. This caused all kinds of crazy with the coaches and parents. Coaches called time, since it was the championship game we had 3 blues. After a quick conference the play stood and home blue said it was his call and that's final.

The play didn't effect the game, DD tossed said batter out at second with a beautiful throwdown. "Ball never lies."

Anyways just wanted to know what the right call in this situation would be. I there a certain amount of time the catcher must hold the ball?

Well thanks for reading, I'm real interested in reading your replies

 

[Comp]

In order to be a catch, the player must demonstrate control of the ball. If the player has caught the ball and is in the process of transferring the ball from the glove to the throwing hand and the ball drops, it is still a catch.

10 seconds? That is an awfully long period of time. If she did actually stand there for 10 seconds holding the ball, not sure how it could be considred anything but a catch.

 

[Bchbum54]

In order to be a catch, the player must demonstrate control of the ball. If the player has caught the ball and is in the process of transferring the ball from the glove to the throwing hand and the ball drops, it is still a catch.

10 seconds? That is an awfully long period of time. If she did actually stand there for 10 seconds holding the ball, not sure how it could be considred anything but a catch.

That's what EVERYONE thought. The reason why the crowed "parents" went crazy. Yea DD caught the ball stood up, took 2 steps back and waited a few seconds as the blue proceeded to direct the batter to the dugout. Then batter started her way back and DD dropped the ball. Crazy call and at the time in a tight game 0-0 this seemed like a huge momentum call for the other team. Like I said, it ultimately didn't effect the game

 

[TopCatDad]

So instead of throwing her out on first and ending the inning you chanced throwing her out stealing second with a girl on third?

 

[Bchbum54]

So instead of throwing her out on first and ending the inning you chanced throwing her out stealing second with a girl on third?

DD just turned 9 in her first season of 10U, she is still learning. I sure in the moment of pure chaos she forgot it was 2 outs. I was really surprised she kept her composure during it all. The other teams bench and crowed yelling at their batter "RUN" and cheering loud and our side yelling "COME ON BLUE" and "SHE COUGHT THE BALL". It was crazy loud. I know first base coach was baiting DD to get his 3rd base runner home. Batter was on the younger side and not a very strong runner. DD felt like it was easy pickings and made the throw. It wasn't even close and batter didn't even try to slide. Earlier that game DD cought a runner at second this time there was no runner on 3rd, and in the 6th she through out a runner at 3rd. She usually knows not to throw down to second with a runner on 3rd and has gotten burned before but at this age its all part of the learning process

 

[eddieq]

Why is the umpire directing the runner to do anything?

"Strike 3, batter is out" if she caught the ball. "Strike 3" if the ball is uncaught and let it play out.

As for "what's the right call", had to be there as it's all judgement. But if a base coach is doing something to distract the offense (as you described - "baiting"), well, you have another call to make there, too.

 

[coach james]

Batter was out. The fact she left the base path and conceded to be out by heading into her dugout, should have meant nothing else!

 

[Comp]

Batter was out. The fact she left the base path and conceded to be out by heading into her dugout, should have meant nothing else!

And that would not be correct. Out of the basepath only applies if the offensive player is attempting to avoid a tag. On a dropped 3rd strike, the batter can walk all the way to the dugout and as long as they do not set foot inside can still run to 1st.

 

[CoogansBluff]

DD caught the ball had it in her mitt for about 10 seconds, batter is confused, blue directs her to the dugout. DD drops the ball as she transfers the ball from her mitt to her hand to throw the ball back to pitcher. The HC and bench yell at their batter to run to 1st.

There has to be something missing from this story. You later say, 'That's what EVERYONE thought,' but the umpire and the other team's coach and bench apparently thought otherwise. We need video.

 

[FPump]

Anyways, DD is the catcher for her team and on the final game.
In the 4th inning, game tied 0-0 batter up with 2 outs batter strikes out.
DD caught the ball had it in her mitt for about 10 seconds, batter is confused, blue directs her to the dugout.
DD drops the ball as she transfers the ball from her mitt to her hand to throw the ball back to pitcher.

Anyways just wanted to know what the right call in this situation would be. I there a certain amount of time the catcher must hold the ball?

CATCH...
"A catch is a legally caught ball which occurs when the fielder catches a batted, pitched, or thrown ball with the hand(s) or glove/mitt. To establish a valid catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove control of it and/or that the release of the ball is voluntary." (ASA Rule 1-Definitions)

BATTER BECOMES A BATTER RUNNER....
"(Fast Pitch) When the catcher fails to catch a third strike before the ball touches the ground an there are...." (ASA 8.2.1 B.)

Setting aside all the other craziness that occurred with the umpire directing the batter to the dugout and all the yelling from the coaches telling the batter to run.....
On the surface it would appear that PU (along with the other two umpires in the crew) need to revisit the rule book and review (1) the definition of a catch and (2) what constitutes a dropped third strike by the catcher.
Based on how you described the events that took place; that even after the PU 'kicked' his initial call, I'm scratching my head as to why after conferencing as a crew, they didn't come up with strike 3, batter out, end of inning.

If the catcher makes a valid catch of a pitch, (which as described she did), you can't have a dropped third strike.