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{{short description|In baseball and softball,
{{good article}}
[[File:Casey McGehee 2009.jpg|thumbnail|right|upright=1.2|[[Casey McGehee]] on the [[Milwaukee Brewers]] puts a ball in play]]
In the sports of [[baseball]] and [[softball]], a '''batted ball''' is a [[Pitch (baseball)|pitch]] that has been contacted by the batter's bat. Batted
==
===By result===▼
====Fair or foul====▼
[[file:Foul Line (3339129130) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|upright=.8|A view along a first base foul line, looking from the outfield wall back towards home plate]]
On the playing field, two straight lines (each known as a [[Foul line (baseball)|foul line]]) are drawn from the corner of home plate; one past [[first base]] and one past [[third base]]. The foul lines extend all the way to the outer limit of the [[outfield]], typically a wall or fence, and perpendicularly up the wall or fence.<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|147}} The entire area between foul lines, including the foul lines themselves, is considered fair territory;<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|147}} anything not in fair territory is considered foul territory.<ref name=MLBrules>{{cite web |url=https://content.mlb.com/documents/2/2/4/305750224/2019_Official_Baseball_Rules_FINAL_.pdf |title=Official Baseball Rules |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=2019 |via=MLB.com |accessdate=October 8, 2022}}</ref>{{rp|149}}
In general, batted balls
That a batted ball hit into the ground has to pass first base or third base in fair territory to be considered fair originated in response to "fair-foul" hitting of the 1860s and 1870s.<ref name=dickey/> Batters would intentionally hit the ball into the ground in fair territory near home plate, at an angle that would send it into foul territory away from the fielders, allowing the batter to reach first base successfully.<ref name=dickey/> [[Dickey Pearce]], a well-known and respected player of the era, is credited with inventing the tactic.<ref name=dickey>{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Dickey-Pearce/ |title=Dickey Pearce |first=Brian |last=McKenna |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research|SABR]] |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref>
Fielders can attempt to make an [[out (baseball)|out]] by catching any ball hit in the air, fair or foul, as long as it is still in play.<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|39}} Balls that leave the field of play, such as by going into the [[bleacher]]s or into the [[dugouts]], are out of play. For balls on the ground, fielders can attempt to make an out on fair balls only.▼
===Effect===
▲Fielders can attempt to make an [[out (baseball)|out]] by catching any ball hit in the air, fair or foul, as long as it is still in play.<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|39}} Balls that leave the field of play, such as by going into
A batted ball that clears the outfield fence in fair territory is a [[home run]].<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|22}} Since 1931, whether such a batted ball is fair or foul is judged on its position when it leaves the field (that is, where it is as it passes over the outfield fence or wall).<ref name=BA/> Previously, the ball had to be "fair when last seen" to be ruled a home run.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111016451/babe-ruth-gained-four/ |title=Babe Ruth Gained Four |newspaper=[[The Kansas City Star]] |page=12 |date=January 25, 1921 |accessdate=October 9, 2022 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Also since 1931, the ball must clear the fence or wall on the fly to be a home run; previously, the ball could bounce over and still be considered a home run—such a batted ball is now an [[automatic double]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/al-lopez-hits-last-bounce-home-run |title=Future Hall of Famer Al López Hits the Last 'Bounce' Home Run in Big League History |website=baseballhall.org |first=Connor |last=O'Gara |access-date=April 16, 2020 |archive-date=October 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016175844/https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/al-lopez-hits-last-bounce-home-run |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=oldtyme/>
====Foul tip====▼
A foul ball normally counts as a [[Strike (baseball)|strike]] unless the batter already has had two strikes assessed against them, in which case the [[count (baseball)|count]] does not change. Treating foul balls as strikes was adopted by the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] in 1901 and the [[American League]] in 1903.<ref name=BA/> There are specific rules for foul tips and foul bunts, which are described below. In slow-pitch softball, a foul ball ''always'' counts as a strike, even when the batter already has two strikes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://static.wbsc.org/assets/cms/documents/5e85a934-d622-2bd8-62f9-854264607589.pdf |title=Official Rules of Softball Slow Pitch |page=57 |publisher=[[World Baseball Softball Confederation]] |date=March 2022 |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref>
====Fly ball====▼
==Characterization==
A specific rule applies to fielders attempting to catch some fly balls: the [[infield fly rule]]. If a fly ball is hit with a high trajectory, but does not travel much straight-line distance, (a type of fly ball generally known as a ''pop fly'' or ''pop up'') and [[baserunner]]s are on [[first base]] and [[second base]] (or if all three bases are occupied), the batter is called out, regardless of if the fielder catches the ball. This rule is in place to prevent fielders from intentionally dropping the ball in order to create a [[force play]] and the opportunity to get multiple outs on the play.<ref name="infield fly">{{cite web |title=In Defense of Baseball's Infield Fly Rule |date=12 October 2012 |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/10/in-defense-of-baseballs-infield-fly-rule/263569/ |publisher=The Atlantic |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref> The infield fly rule also applies if the batted ball is a foul ball.<ref name="definition of terms" />▼
[[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) uses four characterizations for all batted balls put into play:<ref name=PUrate>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stats/pop-up-rate |title=Pop-up Rate (PO%) |website=MLB.com |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref><ref name=FBrate>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stats/fly-ball-rate |title=Fly-ball Rate (FB%) |website=MLB.com |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref><ref name=LDrate>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stats/line-drive-rate |title=Line-drive Rate (LD%) |website=MLB.com |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref><ref name=GBrate>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/glossary/advanced-stats/ground-ball-rate |title=Ground-ball Rate (GB%) |website=MLB.com |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref>
[[file:Yadiel Hernandez (50336621713).jpg|thumb|right|An [[outfielder]] about to catch a fly ball]]
A [[Glossary of baseball (L)#line drive|line drive]] is a batted ball hit into the air that travels with a relatively flat [[trajectory]] ("on a line").{{cn|date=October 2022}} Batters generally have a higher [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] on line drives, as line drives are typically hit harder than fly balls or ground balls and the flatter trajectory makes them harder to catch.<ref name="bill james liner">{{cite web |last1=James |first1=Bill |title=What I Have Learned About Fly Balls and Such |url=https://www.billjamesonline.com/article1023/ |website=billjamesonline.com |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref>▼
A fly ball is a batted ball hit in an arcing manner.<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|147}} For statistical purposes,{{efn|The term "pop-up", while defined on [[MLB.com]], does not appear in MLB's Official Baseball Rules.}} MLB uses the term "fly ball" for such balls that go into the outfield, and a separate term (pop-up, below) for such balls that stay in the infield.<ref name=FBrate/>
Fielders attempt to catch fly balls on their descent, and an out is recorded if the ball is caught before it hits the ground.<ref name="flyout">{{cite web |title=What is a Flyout |url=http://m.mlb.com/glossary/standard-stats/flyout |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref> Under early baseball rules, a fly ball caught on a bounce also resulted in an out; this was abolished for fair balls in 1864 and for foul balls in 1883.<ref name=oldtyme>{{cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/10-bizarre-rules-from-baseballs-past/c-124363454 |title=10 bizarre baseball rules you won't believe actually existed |first=Chris |last=Landers |website=MLB.com |date=May 22, 2015 |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref>
These same tendencies also make line drives dangerous. In 2007, [[Coach (baseball)#Offensive coaches: hitting coach and base coaches|first base coach]] [[Mike Coolbaugh]] was killed when a line drive hit him in the head during a [[Minor League Baseball|minor league]] game.<ref name="colbaugh">{{cite web |title=Coolbaugh, 35, Dies After Being Struck by Ball |date = 23 July 2007|url=https://www.espn.com/minorlbb/news/story?id=2945798 |publisher=ESPN |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref> In 2019, a fan at a [[Houston Astros]] game required hospitalization after being hit with a foul line drive.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rieken |first1=Kristie |title=Child Hit by Line Drive at Astros Game, Taken to Hospital |date=30 May 2019 |url=https://apnews.com/e43808fd90ed46a9a08bc118f38fd71c |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref> In a 2021 minor league game, pitcher [[Tyler Zombro]] was hit in the head by a {{convert|104|mph|adj=on}} line drive, [[skull fracture|fracturing his skull]] and causing him to have a [[seizure]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/32084290/durham-bulls-pitcher-tyler-zombro-remarkable-recovery-being-hit-line-drive|title=Pitcher Tyler Zombro's remarkable recovery after being hit by a line drive|date=August 26, 2021|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=April 21, 2022}}</ref>▼
===
A pop-up is a fly ball that does not travel far; rather than going into the outfield, it is hit to the infield.<ref name=PUrate/> Such a batted ball may, under specific circumstances, be deemed an "infield fly" by an [[Umpire (baseball)|umpire]], which has special consideration as outlined below.<ref name="CPBLrules">{{Cite web|title=2023CPBLrules|url=https://www.cpbl.com.tw/files/file_pool/1/0n072514882105330913/2023%e6%a3%92%e7%90%83%e8%a6%8f%e5%89%87.pdf|publisher=CPBL.com|access-date=2023-04-29|language=zh}}</ref>{{Rp|188}}
===
[[file:Irving Falu fielding a grounder at third (28859678414).jpg|thumb|right|An [[infielder]] about to field a ground ball]]
A [[Bunt (baseball)|bunt]] is a special type of batted ball. Bunts are distinct from other types of batted balls because bunts occur when pitched balls are "intentionally met with the bat", not swung at.<ref name="definition of terms" /> Unlike other types of batted balls, for which a third strike is not assessed when a foul ball is hit with two strikes in the [[count (baseball)|count]], a third strike is assessed to the batter when a two-strike bunt goes foul, resulting in a [[strikeout]]. This rule originated as an attempt to stymie the attempts of batters to intentionally bunt pitches foul in order to tire the pitcher.<ref name="two strike bunt">{{cite web |last1=Snyder |first1=Matt |title=History of Two-Strike Bunt Rule a Reminder Pace of Play Issues are Over a Century Old |url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/history-of-two-strike-bunt-rule-a-reminder-pace-of-play-issues-are-over-a-century-old/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref>▼
▲A
A ground ball (colloquially, a "grounder") is a batted ball hit at a low enough trajectory that it contacts the ground a short distance after being hit and "rolls or bounces close to the ground."<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|149}} The term is ''not'' used for fly balls, pop-ups, or line drives that are uncaught and happen to contact the ground.{{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}
==Statistics==
[[File:J. D. Martinez on July 2, 2012.jpg|thumb|right|upright=.6|[[J. D. Martinez]] batting in 2012]]
[[MLB.com]] provides statistics for hitters, using the above four categories, as part of a "Batted Ball Profile". For example, during the 2022 season, for the balls that [[designated hitter]] [[J. D. Martinez]] of the [[Boston Red Sox]] put into play, 38.2% were ground balls, 30.8% were fly balls, 26.7% were line drives, and 4.3% were pop-ups (the four figures sum to 100%).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/j-d-martinez-502110?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb |title=J.D. Martinez Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics: Batted Ball Profile |website=MLB.com |accessdate=October 10, 2022}}</ref>
[[FanGraphs]] also provides batted ball statistics, but uses the four categories slightly differently: all balls put into play are characterized into one of ''three'' categories: ground ball, fly ball (regardless of where hit), or line drive.<ref name=FGbb/> The percentage of fly balls that were hit in the infield is then provided as a separate figure.<ref name=FGbb/> FanGraphs's statistics for Martinez for the 2022 season indicate 38.2% ground balls, 39.7% fly balls, and 22.1% line drives{{efn|Batted ball figures on FanGraphs and MLB.com may vary—categorizing batted balls is ultimately subjective.}} (the three figures sum to 100%).<ref name=FGjd>{{cite web |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/players/jd-martinez/6184/game-log?position=DH/OF&gds=&gde=&type=3&season=2022 |title=J. D. Martinez Games Logs - Batting - 2022 |website=[[FanGraphs]]|accessdate=October 10, 2022}}</ref> Martinez also had a 5.8% "infield fly ball percentage",<ref name=FGjd/> meaning that 5.8% of the fly balls he hit were infield pop-ups.<ref name=FGbb/>
In 2010, FanGraphs noted that the "league average" for batted ball rates was 44% ground balls, 35% fly balls, and 21% line drives (the three figures sum to 100%) with 11% of fly balls being infield pop-ups.<ref name=FGbb>{{cite web |url=https://library.fangraphs.com/offense/batted-ball/ |title=GB%, LD%, FB% |first=Piper |last=Slowinski |website=[[FanGraphs]] |date=February 17, 2010 |accessdate=October 10, 2022}}</ref>
==Special cases==
The following have special rules considerations.
===Infield fly===
[[file:Infield fly.jpg|thumb|right|An umpire (in black shirt) indicating an infield fly—a verbal call is also made]]
▲A specific rule applies to
An infield fly is verbally declared by an umpire, whose decision "should be made immediately".<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|149}} Umpires commonly also give a visual indication by pointing straight up in the air with their right arm.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.umpirebible.com/index.php/rules-fielding/infield-fly-rule |title=Infield Fly Rule |website=umpirebible.com |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref> If a batted ball declared to be an infield fly is left untouched and it comes to rest (or is first touched) in foul territory before passing first base or third base, it is treated the same as any other foul ball (that is, the batter is ''not'' automatically out).<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|149–150}} The infield fly rule was adopted in 1895.<ref name=BA/>
By rule, a [[foul tip]] is "a batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the [[catcher]]'s hands and is legally caught."<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|149}} A foul tip is considered to be the same as a regular strike, thus a foul tip (that is caught per the definition) with two strikes already against the batter results in a [[strikeout]].<ref name="foul tip">{{cite web |title=What is a Foul Tip? |url=http://m.mlb.com/glossary/rules/foul-tip |publisher=Major League Baseball |access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref> This provision has been part of baseball rules since 1895.<ref name=BA>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/rulechng.shtml |title=Baseball Rule Changes |website=[[Baseball Almanac]] |accessdate=October 9, 2022}}</ref>
===Bunt===
[[File:Mark Teahen on July 29, 2009.jpg|thumb|right|A batter bunting—note the position of his hands on the bat]]
A [[Bunt (baseball)|bunt]] is a special type of batted ball. Bunts occur when pitched balls are "intentionally met with the bat" rather than being swung at.<ref name=MLBrules/>{{rp|145}} A ball that is bunted by a batter may be fair or foul, and while generally it does not travel very far, it may be a ground ball (the desired outcome), pop-up, or (rarely) line drive.
▲
==Safety concerns==
[[file:Alex Cobb 2013 injury.JPG|thumb|right|Pitcher [[Alex Cobb]] receives medical attention after being hit by a line drive on June 15, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/2013/B06150TBA2013.htm |title=Tampa Bay Rays 5, Kansas City Royals 3 |website=[[Retrosheet]] |date=June 15, 2013 |accessdate=October 9, 2022 |quote=Alex Cobb was struck on the right ear by a line drive; he was carried off the field on a stretcher and taken to a hospital suffering from a mild concussion}}</ref>]]
Batted balls, especially line drives, can be dangerous to players, umpires, and spectators. There are myriad examples; several are provided below. A batted ball hit sharply at the pitcher is known as a "[[comebacker]]".
▲
==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball}}
* [[
* [[Batting average on balls in play]] (BABIP)
* [[Ground ball/fly ball ratio]] (GB/FB)
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuio0TBfWBQ Baseball Rules fair foul ball] via [[YouTube]]
{{baseball}}
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