Wild pitch vs passed ball
2016/7/15 17:43:46
Question
The scorekeeper on my daughters college team says that any pitch that touches the ground is a wild pitch. I disagree and was taught different. I was taught that if the catcher should/could have stopped the ball with reasonable effort and doesn't then it is a pass ball charged to the catcher. A wild pitch goes in the books if the catcher can't stop the ball with reasonable effort. Can you provide me with a simple and clear explanation/definition of a passed ball and a wild pitch.
Thank you.
Answer
1. A wild pitch is charged to the pitcher when the pitcher throws so high, wide or low that the catcher can not handle the ball with ordinary effort and at least one runner advances.
a - Any pitch in the dirt which advances a runner is deemed wild.
b - Only one wild pitch is scored regardless of the number of runners who advance or the number of bases advanced.
c - A third strike that is not handled by the catcher because it was wild, where the batter makes first base safely, is charged to the pitcher as a strikeout and also as a wild pitch (KWP).
d - No wild pitch is scored if a runner was stealing on the release of the wild pitch and only one base is advanced.
2. A passed ball is charged to the catcher when she fails to catch a pitch which could have been caught with ordinary effort and at least one baserunner advances.
a - A bobbled pitch (not dropped) where a runner advances is scored as a stolen base, not a passed ball, even if the runner decides to advance after seeing the bobble.
b - Only one passed ball is charged regardless of the number of runners who advance or the number of bases advanced.
c - A third strike that is not handled by the catcher and which should have been with ordinary effort, and the batter reaches first base safely, is charged to the catcher as a passed ball and the pitcher as a strikeout (KPB).
d - No passed ball is scored if a runner was stealing on the release of the pitch that got away and only one base is earned.
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