Tallahassee Democrat staff writer Gerald Ensley explains the kind of stuff about baseball that many of us don't know. If you're not a baseball expert, this page is for you. If you are a baseball expert, compare your knowledge with Ensley's.
All runners can tag up and advance on a caught foul ball.
Of course, they run the risk of being thrown out. That's why, in practice, runners rarely advance on a caught foul ball. Generally, a foul ball is caught near the infield and the runner easily would be thrown out if he attempted to run to the next base. Occasionally, runners do advance on a foul ball caught by an outfielder, especially if the outfielder catches the ball in a distant or awkward place such as in the corner between the outfield bleachers and the grandstand along the foul line. But frankly, today's newer, more compact stadiums with less foul area plus stronger-armed outfielders are reducing the number of such opportunities.