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Baseball rules corner: here are some requirements of the legal catch rule.
IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SIXTH INNING of Game 5 of the ALDS at Oakland last year, the A's Miguel Tejada hit a ground ball to Twins' second baseman Denny Hocking who threw to shortstop Cristian Guzman to start a 4-6-3 double play. Guzman dropped the ball but Scott Hatteberg, running from first to second, was called out.
Earlier in the game Tejada threw to Mark Ellis at second base to start a 64-3 DP. Ellis dropped the ball but the runner going from first to second was called out. In both cases, it appeared that the infielder who was credited with the putout, did not meet the requirements of the catch rule.
When determining a catch of batted or thrown balls to record a putout, the fielder must have secure possession of the ball and the release of the ball must be "voluntary and intentional" (2.00). What is that all about?
Umpire Jim Evans explained, "So many people interpret release as something you do with the throwing arm, but in order to get possession of the ball in your throwing hand, you have to release it from the glove." Therefore it appears that slight movement of the glove hand might be all that is necessary to meet the voluntary release requirement as tong as a fielder has control of the ball.
Keep in mind that a player could drop or muff a ball while he is in the act of releasing it which usually only requires action by the glove hand. Middle fielders will often drop a ball as they are attempting to release a throw to first base in completing a 6-4-3 or 46-3 double play. However, they are normally credited with a putout as long as they begin to execute a voluntary release of the ball.
Secure possession becomes another issue. Evans added, "If there's doubt, it's no catch if a player does not prove to you secure possession which is control. A lot of times secure possession can be proven by the length of time a player possesses the ball. For instance a player might have the ball and run several feet before throwing it."
In the plays mentioned, it did not appear that Guzman or Ellis had control of the ball but the out in both cases stood.
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Source: HighBeam Research, Baseball rules corner: here are some requirements of the legal catch...