Question Posted Saturday December 23 2006, 11:48 pm
I think it was back in the early 90s when this happened, but Jose Canseco was playing left field I think and going back for a deep fly ball. He was back to about the warning track, lost it in the lights, and it hit him in the fence and went into the stands, and was ruled a home run.
I just want to know what it would have been ruled had it hit him (in fair territory), and went into the stands foul.
MikeCFT answered Thursday December 28 2006, 4:59 pm: Yes that was a game against the Indians when Jose was playing for the Rangers...another piece of baseball trivia for you- he is the first of only 4 players to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season.
CC_Fond answered Sunday December 24 2006, 1:17 pm: Actually, it wouldn't be a foul ball. A player touching a ball in fair territory makes the ball fair upon contact. There are quite a few ballparks where this could happen...where the left or right field lines are close to the stands. And if it happened the ball would be ruled a ground rule double...unless it goes over the fence into fair territory (and more than 250 feet from home plate) in which case it would be...well what you saw happen to Jose Canseco. The funny part about that is that since it was a hit, Jose wasn't charged with an error for letting the ball hit him on the noggin!
Major League Rule 6.09(h):
6.09
The batter becomes a runner when --
...
(h) Any fair fly ball is deflected by the fielder into the stands, or over the fence into foul territory, in which case the batter shall be entitled to advance to second base; but if deflected into the stands or over the fence in fair territory, the batter shall be entitled to a home run. However, should such a fair fly be deflected at a point less than 250 feet from home plate, the batter shall be entitled to two bases only. [ CC_Fond's advice column | Ask CC_Fond A Question ]
Attention: NOTHING on this site may be reproduced in any fashion whatsoever without explicit consent (in writing) of the owner of said material, unless otherwise stated on the page where the content originated. Search engines are free to index and cache our content. Users who post their account names or personal information in their questions have no expectation of privacy beyond that point for anything they disclose. Questions are otherwise considered anonymous to the general public.