Arlington, Virginia
Myths Regarding Certain Rules

The hands are part of the bat.
If a batter is hit on the hands while swinging at a pitch or while his hands are in the strike zone, it is a strike. Otherwise, it is a hit batter and he gets first base. In all cases the ball is dead and no runners may advance. See Rule 2.00 BALL, PERSON, STRIKE (e), (f), TOUCH, also Rule 6.08(b).
 
He held the ball for two seconds before he dropped it. That's a catch.
The length of time the ball is held has nothing to do with the determination of a catch. The release of the ball must be voluntary and intentional. See Rule 2.00 CATCH. The fielder must prove that he had complete control of the ball before releasing it.
 
The catch was made on the outfield grass. That's not an infield fly.
Infield fly is a judgment call. It is based on whether the ball can be caught with ordinary effort. See Rule 2.00 INFIELD FLY.
 
He gets 1 plus 1 on an overthrow.
There is no such thing. Awards of bases can be 1, 2, or 3 bases depending on the circumstances. The award can be based on where runners are physically standing, or in most cases, from where they are at the time of the pitch. It makes no difference in which direction a runner is running. If a runner is being chased back towards first base from second and the ball is thrown out-of-play, he is awarded third. This is two bases closer to home from where the runner was at the time the ball was released. See Rule 7.10(c).
 
The batter turned to the left after crossing first, so he's out when tagged.
The runner is out only if the umpire judges that he made an attempt to go to second. No place in the rules does it say that a runner must turn to the right. See Rule 7.08(c) EXCEPTION and Rule 7.10(c).
 
The ball is dead on a foul tip.
A foul-tip is a ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher's glove, and is caught. If it is not caught it is a foul ball and the ball is dead. If it is caught, it is a strike and the ball is alive. See Rule 2.00 FOUL TIP.
 
The ball is dead when an illegal pitch occurs.
When an illegal pitch is called, if the pitcher does not pitch, the umpire will call illegal pitch. If the pitch is thrown, it is a delayed dead ball. This means the ball is alive until any play is completed. See Rule 8.05 PENALTY.
 
On that throw to home, the catcher was blocking the base path before he caught the ball. Call interference!
When the defense blocks the base path without having possession of the ball, or is not in the act of fielding a ball, it is obstruction, not interference. If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy this position in order to receive the ball, he may be considered in the act of fielding a ball. See Rule 2.00 OBSTRUCTION. Also, see Rule 7.06(a) and (b).
 
The batter who batted out of order is out.
After the incorrect batter completes his at-bat, and an appeal is made, the proper batter is out, (the one who would have batted). The improper batter (the one who did bat) is removed from base and any advance made by runners because of his batted ball, is nullified. The next batter due up is the one who follows the proper batter. See Rule 6.07.
 
The batter isn't out for interference with the catcher if he stays in the batter's box.
This is a tough call. If the batter has just swung at a pitch and is off-balance and unavoidably interferes with the catcher, he should not be called out. If he had just let a pitch go, and he had an opportunity to avoid the catcher's play, but didn't, he interfered. See Rule 2.00 INTERFERENCE and Rule 6.06(c).
 
The batter backed out of the box as the pitch was coming to the plate. That's an automatic strike.
If the offense is stalling and the batter refuses to get in the box after the umpire tells him to do so, then then umpire will tell the pitcher to pitch and call each pitch a strike. However, if he is in the box and then steps out during the wind-up or the pitch, the umpire will call the pitch as he sees it. See Rule 6.02(b).
 
The pitch hit the ground before the batter hit it. The ball is dead.
If a pitch touches the ground before entering the strike zone and is not swung at, it is a ball. If it bounces up and hits the batter, the batter is awarded first. If it is hit, it is rulled like a normal pitch. See Rule 2.00 IN FLIGHT.
 
The base coach touched the runner. The runner is out.
This is a judgement call by the umpire. If the coach obviously and intentionally physically stops a runner or helps him up after falling, the runner is out. Merely touching him as he goes by or making an incidental touch as the runner is stopping is not grounds for an out call. See Rule 7.09(I).
 
Half of the batter's foot was outside the box when he hit the ball. He's out.
A batter is out when he makes contact with the pitch when his foot is entirely outside the lines of the batter's box. He is out on either a fair or foul ball. The ball is dead. He is not out if he swings and misses or if he does not swing. See Rule 2.00 ILLEGALLY BATTED BAL and Rule 6.06(a).
 
The batted ball hit the plate first, that's a foul ball.
Home plate is positioned between the first and third base foul lines. It is fair territory. Therefore, a ball that comes to rest upon it, is a fair ball. All bases are in fair territory, therefore, any batted ball that touches a base is considered a fair ball, regardless of where it bounces after touching the base. See Rule 2.00 FAIR BALL and FAIR TERRITORY.