catch or not?

[Rob]

In a game on Sunday, one of my players hits a linedrive into the 5/6 hole. The shortstop makes a great diving playing on the ball, but the speed of the ball rips the glove off her hand. The gloves lands about 5 feet from where the shortstop landed with the ball still in the pocket of the glove. The ball never hit the field. It was ruled a catch. Is that the correct call?

[Jalamander]

No Catch.

[xxkannonxx]

Brings another question...what if the ball was hit to the outfield fence and the fielder catches the ball, but her glove comes off and lands over the fence with the ball still in the glove.

Homerun or out?

I say Homerun...

[hit4thecycle]

Geez.....What are the chances of the ball staying in the glove? Very rare plays!

[DadinThestands]

To Rob: No catch
To Kannon: Homerun (Think of Jose Canseco when the ball bounced off his head and over the fence )

[HIGHNTIGHT]

Canseco.......That brings a smile to my face every time I think about it.

[Bretman]

Once the glove comes off the player's hand and hits the ground, with the ball still inside, it is the same as the ball hitting the ground- ie: the ball is no longer considered to be airbourne or in-flight and it is impossible for a catch to be recorded.

And then there's that whole "detached equipment" thing. Once the ball is contacted with a glove detached from it's proper place- on the player's hand- it can no longer be caught for an out.

I'll throw in another "no catch" for the first one and another "home run" for the second one!

[MTR]

And then there's that whole "detached equipment" thing. Once the ball is contacted with a glove detached from it's proper place- on the player's hand- it can no longer be caught for an out.

Bretman is absolutely correct, but I would not refer to the "detached equipment" thing since there are rules awarding bases for touching a batted or thrown ball with "detached equipment" and that is not the case here.