Out (baseball)
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In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired. When three outs are recorded in an inning, one might say that "the side is retired." An out is considered a putout when a runner or batter is retired as a result of direct action from a player on defense.
- The batter is out when:
- the third strike is pitched and caught in flight;
- on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs;
- he bunts foul with two strikes;
- he is hit by his own fair ball, outside of the batter's box, before the ball is played by a fielder;
- he commits interference;
- he fails to bat in his proper turn;
- he hits a pitch with a foot entirely outside of the batter's box;
- he steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch; or
- he is found to have used an altered bat.
- The batter-runner is out when:
- A fielder with a live ball in possession touches first base before the batter-runner reaches first base (except when the batter is awarded first base, such as on a base on balls);
- A batted ball is caught in flight;
- He hits an infield popup while the infield fly rule applies; or
- With fewer than two outs, an infielder touches a batted ball in-flight, but intentionally allows the ball to fall to the ground, for the purpose of getting some other runner out
- Any baserunner, other than the batter-runner, is out when:
- he is forced out; that is, a fielder with a live ball in possession touches his force base before the runner reaches that base;
- a fielder catches a batted ball in flight, and subsequently, some fielder with a live ball in possession touches the runner's time of pitch base before the runner tags up (appeal play);
- while attempting to reach home base with fewer than two outs, the batter interferes with a fielder and such action hinders a potential tag out near home base; or
- He is found to be an illegal substitute
- Any baserunner, including the batter-runner, is out when:
- he is tagged out; that is, touched by a fielder's hand holding a live ball while in jeopardy, such as while not touching a base;
- he passes a base without touching it and a member of the defensive team properly executes a live ball appeal;
- he commits interference, such as when he contacts a fielder playing a batted ball, or when he contacts a live batted ball before it passes a fielder other than the pitcher;
- he strays more than three feet (.91 meters) from his running baseline in attempting to avoid a tag;
- he intentionally abandons his effort to run the bases; or
- he runs the bases in reverse order in an attempt to confuse the defense or to make a travesty of the game.
Further reading
- Official rules for batters, including when the batter is out (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/official_rules/batter_6.jsp)
- Official rules for runners, including when the runner is out (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/official_rules/runner_7.jsp)