Learn about outs
Rules to play Baseball
Learn about outs
Only offensive team members can get an out. Once a player is out, he or she is removed from play, and from the batting rotation, for the rest of the inning. Once three players are out, the defensive and offensive teams switch. There are several ways to get an out. The commonly seen ones are described below.
If a defensive player catches the batters ball before it hits the ground, the batter is automatically out no matter what else is happening, and even if the ball was caught in foul territory. This is called a flyout.
If a defensive player touches a runner with the ball (or a glove holding the ball) while the runner isnt standing on a base, the runner is out. The ball must be held in the defensive players hand; beaning the runner with a throw is unacceptable. This is called a tag out.
If a batter passes on a chance to hit a fair ball (one that wasnt too high, low, or close to the batters body), or if a batter swings and misses, he is given a strike. Three strikes result in an out, called a strikeout.
On first base only, if a fielder touches the base while holding the ball before the runner can reach it, he or she is out. This is called a ground out.
If a runner is standing on a base and has to run forward to make room for the next runner (as only one runner can be on a base at a given time), he or she can receive a force out if a fielder at the next base touches the base while holding the ball.