Out (baseball)

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In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired. When three outs are recorded in an inning, one might say that "the side is retired." An out is considered a putout when a runner or batter is retired as a result of direct action from a player on defense.

The batter is out when:
* the third strike is pitched and caught in flight;
* on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs;
* he bunts foul with two strikes;
* he is hit by his own fair ball, outside of the batter's box, before the ball is played by a fielder;
* he commits interference;
* he fails to bat in his proper turn;
* he hits a pitch with a foot entirely outside of the batter's box;
* he steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch; or
* he is found to have used an altered bat.

The batter-runner is out when:
* he fails to reach first base before a fielder with a live ball in his possession touches first base or touches the runner-batter with the ball (except when the batter is awarded first base, such as on a base on balls);
* A batted ball is caught in flight;
* He hits an infield popup while the infield fly rule applies; or
* With fewer than two outs, an infielder touches a batted ball in-flight, but intentionally allows the ball to fall to the ground, for the purpose of getting some other runner out

Any baserunner, other than the batter-runner, is out when:
* he is forced out; that is, he fails to reach his force base before a fielder with a live ball touches that base or tags him with the ball;
* a fielder catches a batted ball in flight, and subsequently, some fielder with a live ball in possession touches the runner's time of pitch base before the runner tags up (appeal play);
* while attempting to reach home plate with fewer than two outs, the batter interferes with a fielder and such action hinders a potential tag out near home plate; or
* He is found to be an illegal substitute

Any baserunner, including the batter-runner, is out when:
* he is tagged out; that is, touched by a fielder's hand holding a live ball while in jeopardy, such as while not touching a base;
* he passes a base without touching it and a member of the defensive team properly executes a live ball appeal;
* he commits interference, such as when he contacts a fielder playing a batted ball, or when he contacts a live batted ball before it passes a fielder other than the pitcher;
* he strays more than three feet (.91 meters) from his running baseline in attempting to avoid a tag;
* he intentionally abandons his effort to run the bases; or
* he runs the bases in reverse order in an attempt to confuse the defense or to make a travesty of the game.

Out (baseball)

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