Expert: Ed Spindler - 10/22/2008

Question
This is a question similar to the one asked 9/11/2008, fair or foul -
If a ball is hit right back to the pitchers mound and hits the pitching rubber without touching the pitcher and it goes into foul territory, is the ball fair or foul????

MY QUESTION IS; If a ball is hit and it goes over the mound past the rubber without being touched and spins/hit a rock a goes in foul territory without going past 1st or 3rd base, is it fair or foul?

Answer
Anthony...

Now that's a GREAT question...it could only happen on artificial turf i would think but here's the answer...

IF the ball is hit past an imaginery line between 1st and 3rd (approx 8 feet behind where the rubber is located)and spun back into foul territory it would be a fair ball as the rule states that a ball that passes 1st or 3rd over or on fair ground the ball is fair...

the only way this could happen i believe is on a very high popup into a strong wind...it hits past that imaginery line and the spin and wind sends it back into foul ground...FAIR ball...

of course you would probably have to eject the defensive manager as he would go berserk...

that play is actually writtn up in the casebook that all umpires have...

again, great question