Tough being in umpire nowadays.
I had the uncaught third strike almost come back to bite me in the butt when I was working with a partner who was apparently not aware that a third strike had to be caught on the fly. He came flying down the line from 1B and stopped the batter-runner from trying to reach first after the catcher didn't properly catch strike three.
Luckily for us, the coach was unaware that we were wrong or just erroneously assumed we were right rather than conflicted and confused as we seemed by both having different opinions. It's gotta be tougher on the big stage where stuff happens faster and under more stress and scrutiny. However, umpires on the lower levels have the added burden of dealing with different rules books and interpretations depending on the level and the governing body administering the rules.
10 strange-but-true rules from MLB's official rulebook
10. Runners advance one base if a pitched ball "lodges in the umpire's or catcher's mask or paraphernalia." Rule 5.09(g)
9. A designated hitter is specifically prohibited from sitting in the bullpen, unless serving as a bullpen catcher. Rule 6.10(b)(15)
8. A runner is out when they are hit by a fair batted ball, whether they are on a base or not, except when the infield fly rule is called. In that case they are not out if hit by the ball while on base, but are still out if hit by the ball off a base. Rule 7.08(f)
7. When a manager, coach or player are ejected, they are expressly permitted to take a seat in the stands, as long as they change into street clothes and are "well removed from the vincinity of his team's bench or bullpen." Rule 4.07
6. If a fielder deflects a fair ball into the stands, it counts as a home run; unless the deflection somehow manages to occur 250 feet or closer to home plate, in which case all runners only advance two bases. Rule 6.09(h)
5. If a player pinch-hits for a batter in the middle of an at-bat with two strikes, and strikes out, the at-bat and strikeout are credited to the replaced batter. Any other outcome is credited to the pinch-hitter. Rule 10.15(b)
4. The umpire has the specific authority to, in the case of wet weather, instruct the pitcher to put the rosin bag in his pocket. Rule 8.02(a)
3. All runners, including the batter, advance three bases if a fielder intentionally touches a fair batted ball with their cap, mask or any other part of their uniform "detached from the proper place on his person." All runners advance two bases if the same thing happens on a thrown ball.Rule 7.05(b-e)
2. If there are two strikes on the batter, and a runner steals home, and the pitch hits the runner in the strike zone, the batter is out. The run does not score if there are two outs; if there are less than two outs, it does. Rule 6.05(n)
1. Pitchers are allowed to switch their throwing arm in the middle of an at-bat, but only if they have injured the other one. If one does, they do not get an opportunity to warm up with the other arm. Rule 8.01(f)
-- Dan Wohl / MLB.com
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from wikipedia.com
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncaught_third_strike
In baseball and softball, an uncaught third strike (sometimes referred to as dropped third strike) occurs when the catcherfails to cleanly catch a pitch for the third strike. A pitch is considered uncaught if the ball touches the ground before being caught (a bouncing ball), or if the ball is dropped after being grasped (see also catch). In Major League Baseball, the specific rules concerning the uncaught third strike are addressed in Rules 6.05 and 6.09 of the Official Baseball Rules.[1]
On an uncaught third strike with no runner on first base or with two outs, the batter immediately becomes a runner. The strike is called, but the umpire does not call the batter out. The umpire may also actively signal that there is "no catch" of the pitch. The batter may then attempt to reach first base and must be tagged or forced out. With two outs and the bases loaded, the catcher who fails to catch the third strike may, upon picking up the ball, step on home plate for a force-out or make a throw to any other fielder.
The purpose of the "no runner on first base or two outs" qualification is to prevent the catcher from deliberately dropping a third strike pitch and then initiating an unfair double or triple play with possible force plays at second base, third base, or home plate, in addition to putting the batter out at first base. The logic of the situation is similar to that which led to the infield fly rule.
Regardless of the outcome of an uncaught third strike, the pitcher is statistically credited with a strikeout. Because of the uncaught third strike rule, it is possible for a pitcher to register more than three strikeouts in an inning.
In Little League, in the Tee-Ball and Minor League divisions, the batter is out after the third strike regardless of whether the pitched ball is caught cleanly by the catcher. In Little League (or the Major Division), Junior, Senior, and Big League divisions, a batter may attempt to advance to first base on an uncaught third strike. Little League Major Division Softball and many other youth baseball leagues (such as the USSSA) also follow the rule.
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