I recently watched a 12U game and several batters were able to reach first base on DTS. Could someone please explain why this rule is in effect? IMO, if the batter strikes out and the pitcher is awarded a strikeout, there is no reason why the batter should be allowed to run to first base. In theory (and I'm sure it has happened), the batter on a DTS could make it all the way around the bases (with throwing errors) and score a run after striking out! How this is good for the game is beyond me. Anyone care to defend the rule?
Worst rule in softball: Dropped Third Strike?
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Some leagues don't play with the rule. That said, it's in the rules of normal softball/baseball and I don't think it will be changed. The history behind it, but it might be somewhere on the internet. Start working with the catcher so she holds on to that third strike.
Our rec league plays it starting at 12U. It is more difficult to teach batters
than catchers when it comes to DTS. My travel team it is a non issue as we have
good catching. I am not crazy about the rule, but I am sure it won't be rewritten
before I take my last breath
than catchers when it comes to DTS. My travel team it is a non issue as we have
good catching. I am not crazy about the rule, but I am sure it won't be rewritten
before I take my last breath
The reason that this rule exists is the same reason that many of the other unusual rules of softball exist. Many of the first softball rules were copied directly from the existing baseball rules of the day. And this was a rule in baseball for decades before ASA published the first official softball rule book in 1933.
The original rules of baseball, dating back to the mid-1800's, called a batter out when the third strike was caught by the catcher. If not caught, the batter was entitled to try for first base. The original rules didn't make any disctinction about how many outs there were or if first base was occupied or not. The batter could ALWAYS try for first if the third strike wasn't caught.
Catchers in the early days soon found a way to exploit this rule to their advantage. With first base occupied and less than two outs, they would purposely drop the ball. With the runner, or runners, holding close to their bases, lest they be picked off, and the batter being entitled to run to first base, purposely dropping the ball set up an easy double or even triple play. Force outs would be available on the bases ahead of each runner and a couple of quick throws could net multiple outs in a situation where one out (the batter on strike three) should have been the likely outcome.
So, the rule was modified before the turn of the century- that's the last, not this one!- to close that loophole. In this respect, the third strike rule, as it exists today, serves the same purpose as the Infield Fly Rule. It removes the defense's ability to "trick" the offense and gain multiple, unearned outs through the deception of purposely not catching the ball.
The rule was modified, then many years later softball was invented and the rule was copied verbatim, where it still exists today. The modern rules still state that the batter is out when the third strike is caught by the catcher. The change that took away the ability of the defense to gain through deception involved when the batter could legally try for first base.
If there are less than two outs AND first base is occupied, the batter is out on the third strike whether it is caught or not. Since the batter is automatically out, there are no force outs to be had on the bases. The defense gains nothing by purposely dropping the ball.
With less than two outs and first base NOT occupied, there would be no force outs to be had if the catcher didn't catch the ball. In this case, the rules still allow the batter to try for first and for the defense to complete the play to retire the batter.
When there are two outs, if the catcher does not catch the ball the batter is allowed to try for first base no matter if first base is occupied or not. For a catcher to purposely drop the ball when two are out would be, well...stupid. Doing so would gain his team no advantage. Simply catch the ball and the inning is over. There is nothing to be gained and no "extra" outs to be earned by dropping the ball. Whenever there are two outs, the defense must either catch the pitch or complete a play against the batter or another runner.
As with many other softball rules, the genesis of this rule lies in the earliest days of the game of baseball. You might ask why this rule was retained, but that is kind of like asking why a batter gets three strikes instead of two, or why there are four bases instead of six. It's simply a convention that came about over 150 years ago and still exists to confound and confuse players, coaches, fans and umpires to this day!
The original rules of baseball, dating back to the mid-1800's, called a batter out when the third strike was caught by the catcher. If not caught, the batter was entitled to try for first base. The original rules didn't make any disctinction about how many outs there were or if first base was occupied or not. The batter could ALWAYS try for first if the third strike wasn't caught.
Catchers in the early days soon found a way to exploit this rule to their advantage. With first base occupied and less than two outs, they would purposely drop the ball. With the runner, or runners, holding close to their bases, lest they be picked off, and the batter being entitled to run to first base, purposely dropping the ball set up an easy double or even triple play. Force outs would be available on the bases ahead of each runner and a couple of quick throws could net multiple outs in a situation where one out (the batter on strike three) should have been the likely outcome.
So, the rule was modified before the turn of the century- that's the last, not this one!- to close that loophole. In this respect, the third strike rule, as it exists today, serves the same purpose as the Infield Fly Rule. It removes the defense's ability to "trick" the offense and gain multiple, unearned outs through the deception of purposely not catching the ball.
The rule was modified, then many years later softball was invented and the rule was copied verbatim, where it still exists today. The modern rules still state that the batter is out when the third strike is caught by the catcher. The change that took away the ability of the defense to gain through deception involved when the batter could legally try for first base.
If there are less than two outs AND first base is occupied, the batter is out on the third strike whether it is caught or not. Since the batter is automatically out, there are no force outs to be had on the bases. The defense gains nothing by purposely dropping the ball.
With less than two outs and first base NOT occupied, there would be no force outs to be had if the catcher didn't catch the ball. In this case, the rules still allow the batter to try for first and for the defense to complete the play to retire the batter.
When there are two outs, if the catcher does not catch the ball the batter is allowed to try for first base no matter if first base is occupied or not. For a catcher to purposely drop the ball when two are out would be, well...stupid. Doing so would gain his team no advantage. Simply catch the ball and the inning is over. There is nothing to be gained and no "extra" outs to be earned by dropping the ball. Whenever there are two outs, the defense must either catch the pitch or complete a play against the batter or another runner.
As with many other softball rules, the genesis of this rule lies in the earliest days of the game of baseball. You might ask why this rule was retained, but that is kind of like asking why a batter gets three strikes instead of two, or why there are four bases instead of six. It's simply a convention that came about over 150 years ago and still exists to confound and confuse players, coaches, fans and umpires to this day!
I don't know if this is common where you guys are:
When a ball hits the ground in front of the plate, and then pops up and hits the batter, they get to take first base. I completely hate this. If it hits the ground, IMHO, it should be a dead ball. Especially at the younger ages, when it's pretty common to be short on a pitch...
When a ball hits the ground in front of the plate, and then pops up and hits the batter, they get to take first base. I completely hate this. If it hits the ground, IMHO, it should be a dead ball. Especially at the younger ages, when it's pretty common to be short on a pitch...
Stephanie,
Stop and think about that for a minute. If a pitch hitting the ground was automatically a dead ball....you would deprive the offense of the chance to advance runners on any wild pitch or passed ball. The offense would be punished because the defense screwed up!
The rule as it is now is consistent with all of the other rules regarding pitches and hit batters. A pitch, is a pitch is a pitch. Bounced or not, any pitch can be called a ball, swung at and missed for a strike, batted into play and result in anything from an out to a home run, and, yes, even result in a hit batter.
Why punish the offense and deprive them of a base award when it was the defense that erred?
This should be common where everybody is, because it is an actual standard playing rule!
Stop and think about that for a minute. If a pitch hitting the ground was automatically a dead ball....you would deprive the offense of the chance to advance runners on any wild pitch or passed ball. The offense would be punished because the defense screwed up!
The rule as it is now is consistent with all of the other rules regarding pitches and hit batters. A pitch, is a pitch is a pitch. Bounced or not, any pitch can be called a ball, swung at and missed for a strike, batted into play and result in anything from an out to a home run, and, yes, even result in a hit batter.
Why punish the offense and deprive them of a base award when it was the defense that erred?
This should be common where everybody is, because it is an actual standard playing rule!
BretMan - thanks for the history of the DTS rule. I still don't like it, it serves no real modern softball purpose, and IMO should be considered removed from the rule book.
Stephanie - in our league, if the batter attempts to get out of the way of a ground ball pitch and is hit, she is awarded first base. If she makes no attempt to get out of the way, it is just a ball and is not awarded first base for being hit.
Which is as it should be- everywhere! The exact same rules covering hit batters still apply regardless of if the pitch touches the ground or not.
As a practical matter, the umpire should give a little more latitude to the batter when judging her "attempt to avoid" on a bounced pitch. The rules do require that the batter not purposely allow the pitch to touch her. But with a bounced pitch that can richochet unpredictably in any direction, it's unrealistic to expect a batter to guess which way it's going to bounce. Just about any movement other than standing completely motionless like a statue is probably going to result in a base award. The pitcher is the one that put the ball in the wrong spot and the batter is going to get every benefit of the doubt in regards to her "effort to avoid the pitch".
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