Caught stealing

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For meanings outside baseball, see Loss prevention.
 This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2008)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt. A time caught stealing can not be charged to a batter-runner, that is, a runner who is still advancing as the direct result of reaching base.

More specifically, a time caught stealing is charged when:

  • a runner, attempting a stolen base, is put out;
  • a runner is caught in a rundown play while stealing, and is tagged out; or
  • a runner, attempting a stolen base, is safe because a fielder is charged with an error on catching the ball, and in the judgment of the official scorer, the runner would have been out if the ball had been caught.

[edit] Pickoffs

A runner who is picked off, when that runner's sole action after leading off is diving back to the base, only to be put out, is not caught stealing. If during the play the runner made any feint or motion to the next base, then the runner is caught stealing, even if eventually put out on the dive back.

[edit] Wild Pitch/Passed Ball

If a runner is making no attempt to advance to the next base until there is a wild pitch or passed ball, and is then put out trying to advance to the next base, this runner is not caught stealing. The runner is put out on a fielder's choice, and a wild pitch/passed ball would not be charged to the pitcher (or catcher).