This series on baseball terms is surprisingly difficult to understand when asked about their meanings and differences. This time, we'll explain in an easy-to-understand way the difference between foul tip and catcher fly, as well as the difference between a wild pitch and a passed ball, which can be difficult to distinguish unless you watch a slow motion video.

What are the conditions for foul tip?

foul tip is a play in which the ball grazes the bat and catch directly by catcher without hitting the ground. There are three points to foul tip: the ball must hit the bat, not touch the ground, and land in catcher 's mitt. Sometimes the ball hitting catcher is also referred to as foul tip, but technically it only refers to the ball being catch.

In addition, foul tip, even though it grazes the bat, is counted as strike, not a fly ball out. Therefore, if there are two strike, it is recorded as struck out.

This video shows a case where the ball hit catcher and was ruled foul tip. foul tip is exactly this kind of "grazing ball" that goes straight towards catcher.

The key is whether the ball can be caught! The difference between a wild pitch and a passed ball

The fact that "whether catcher was able to handle it" is the criterion for judgment is also common to the difference between wild pitches and catches. Similar to how foul tip is established by "whether the catcher is directly catch", the difference between a wild pitch and a catch is "whether the catcher was a ball that could be dealt with with a normal defense ".

If the pitch is greatly off or bounce too hard and the catcher cannot handle it, it becomes a "wild throw (wild pitch)" and the pitcher is responsible. On the other hand, if you miss the pitch that is judged to be caught by the catcher, such as if you hit the mitt but bounce the ball and deflect it, it will be recorded as "catching (passed ball)". Also, it is important to remember that neither a wild pitch nor a catch is an error, and that if there is no runner advance, neither a wild pitch nor a catch will be recorded.

Take an out catch, catcher What is fly?

The foul tip, outbursts, and catches introduced so far are all plays that point to "whether catcher was able to handle the batted ball or pitch" and do not result in an immediate out. In contrast, a catcher fly is a case where catcher the goal is to catch get an out.

catcher A fly is defined as a batted ball that is launched into the air and catcher catch as a fly. Since the batted ball is clearly launched, it is recorded as a "caught fly/caught bad fly".

Thus, the difference between "foul tip" and "catcher fly" is in what kind of ball was hit. foul tip Ha, the last strike but the catcher fly is treated as Out as a result of launching a batted ball It is.

A little knowledge of these differences may change your doubts while watching a match into enjoyment.

Videos related to catcher flies

We have carefully selected three videos of foul fly catches that have been released on Pacific League TV in the past. We hope you enjoy watching the various situations in which the foul fly catches were made.

①A rare angle!? catcher fly seen from directly above.

② The video with over 10 million views is the most in the history of Pacific League TV. Former Tohoku Rakuten Eagles Shima Motohiro's catcher fly.

③We bring you the latest news from this spring's training camp. The ball fell into foul territory, but rolled into fair field. The result was a grounder to pitcher.