This page is to address common questions and points of interest about WOBA league play.
What happens when a ballgame is rained out midway through the game?
WOBA league games suspended due to weather are considered an official game if the home team is winning in the bottom of the 4th inning or after 1 hour of play. If the game is not an official game then it is wiped out and restarted fresh, unless both teams agree to resume where it left off. The only reason to resume where it was left off is if the teams have another game between each other and want to finish the rained out game the same night. (BOD Nov 7/16)
When does a new inning begin?
WOBA follows the OBA rule P2.7 (f) which discusses game length. “An inning shall be deemed to have started immediately after the last out, in the bottom of the previous inning, has occurred.”
Who is responsible to submitting game scores on-line?
The home team is designated to reporting the game score. (BOD Nov 7/16)
What is the dropped 3rd strike?
The dropped 3rd strike rule applies to all divisions mosquito and above.
When a third strike is called, or is swung at and missed and the catcher does not make a legal catch, the batter may attempt to reach first base if it is unoccupied when there are none or one out, or when it is occupied when there are 2 outs. The only time the batter may not attempt to reach first base is if there is a runner occupying first base (with the exception of 2 out). Occupied means it was occupied at the time of the pitch.
The fact that the runner attempts to steal does not make the base unoccupied. Time of pitch is defined as the moment the pitcher starts his windup or commits to a pitch to the plate. To be legally caught the ball must be caught in-flight. This means if the catcher catches the ball cleanly on a bounce it is NOT a legal catch. The reason why the runner may attempt to reach first base when there are 2 outs is because a third out has to be made to end an inning and dropping the 3rd strike does not warrant an automatic out. If the bases are loaded with 2 out and the catcher does not make a legal catch of a third strike, a force play goes into effect because the batter has now become a runner. The catcher may step on home plate to force out the runner from third or tag the batter or throw to any other base.
Please note the notation in Rule 5.05 & 5.09 (in 6.05 & 6.09 old version) of Baseball Canada’s Official Rules of Baseball that, “a batter who does not realize his situation on a third strike not caught, and who is not in the process of running to first base, shall be declared out once he leaves the dirt circle surrounding home plate.”
Is it a foul ball if a batter doesn't swing at a pitch and the ball hits the bat?
Anytime a pitch hits the bat, it is a batted ball, whether the batter was intentionally swinging or not. Even if he is ducking a pitch. If the ball hits the bat it is a batted ball. If the ball goes fair the batter better run to first. If it goes foul, it is a foul ball.
What is an Infield Fly?
An Infield fly is signaled when first and second base or all three bases are occupied and there are none or one out. The only difference between an infield fly and any other fly is that the batter is out when it is declared, and the ball does not have to be caught. Because the batter is declared out the runners are no longer forced to run, but they may run if they wish, at the risk of being put out. If the ball is caught they must tag-up before running, the same as on any fly ball. If the ball is not caught they may run without tagging up, the same as on any fly ball.
If the umpires forget to call an obvious infield fly, the rule is assumed to have been called and the batter is still out. If a fly ball first lands untouched on foul ground before first or third base and bounces untouched into fair territory, it is an infield fly because it is now a fair ball and the batter is out. If the fly ball first lands untouched in fair territory before first or third and bounces untouched into foul territory, it is just a foul ball.
The Infield Fly is a judgment by the umpire that the ball could be caught with ordinary effort by a player who was stationed in the infield at the time of the pitch. It is not automatic just because it's a pop-up in the infield.