Home plate is considered just as much "fair territory" as any other part of the playing field. If a batted ball comes to rest on home plate without being touched by any player, it is a fair ball.
If a catcher grabs the ball, when the only part of the field the ball has touched is home plate, the ball is fair -- just as if it had bounced only within the chalk lines.
Thus, if a batter hits the ball downward onto the plate, and the ball then bounces into the air, and the catcher grabs the ball in the air before it hits any other part of the field -- the ball is fair. Since, at this point, the batter must run to first base, the catcher could throw the runner out at first.
He's safe if he touches home before the catcher picks it up and tags him. If it was a force at home then he's out as soon as the catcher touches home plate.
The level of baseball is irrelevant. From Coach pitch to the majors, home plate is in fair territory. The reason why the plate is the only base that comes to a triangle is because that's the beginning of the foul lines as they extend out to foul pole--which is why the "arrow" of the plate never points to the pitcher. Any ball that has not crossed 1st or 3rd base is not fair or foul until it is touched or goes completely out of play. It doesn't matter where the catcher is, it matters where he touches the ball. The ball can hit the plate and bounce straight up or it could even hit behind the plate. If the catcher touches the ball directly over home plate, it's a fair ball.
It's a fair ball.
From the time the catcher touches the ball til the ball reaches 2nd for a good catcher is 1.6 to 1.7 seconds.
As soon as the runner touches home plate, the run scores. The following runner has the right to third base. Either the base coach or the following runner on third base should tell the runner who scored that it was not a foul ball and he should go to the dugout. The ball is still live.
The ball is live and in play. There is no penalty unless the glove touches the batted ball.
No...as soon as the batted ball touches the runner, the ball is dead.
All that matters is that the catcher caught the ball. Accordng to MLB Rule 6.05(b), a batter is out if: " A third strike is legally caught by the catcher; Rule 6.05(b) Comment: "Legally caught" means in the catcher's glove before the ball touches the ground. It is not legal if the ball lodges in his clothing or paraphernalia; or if it touches the umpire and is caught by the catcher on the rebound. If a foul-tip first strikes the catcher's glove and then goes on through and is caught by both hands against his body or protector, before the ball touches the ground, it is a strike, and if third strike, batter is out. If smothered against his body or protector, it is a catch provided the ball struck the catcher's glove or hand first. "
Fair ball.
According to the rule book, the umpire will declare the pitch a strike if the ball touches the batter as the batter strikes at the ball, or if the ball touches the batter while the ball is in the strike zone.
its a catch
After a walk, no. After hitting the ball, no, unless when he "touches" someone he is interfering with a play on a batted ball, in which case he could be called out for interference.