I can't find a clear answer to this baseball question.

@biandlargeny May be a dumb question but if the third baseman choses to field the foul ball and throw it to the mound, wouldn't that put the ball back in play?

@WizardofOz no once touched in foul play the ball is dead

@biandlargeny Okay. The reason I ask, is because I was watching a softball game and the same situation I described happened. When the third baseman over threw the pitcher, the runners advanced. The announcer's said the ball is dead and the umps will send them back, which they did but the announcer's also said, "softball rules don't allow that, baseball rules are different". I was wondering what is different about baseball rules when it comes to that situation?

@WizardofOz I umpired baseball for 20 years. Foul balls are dead plays no runners may advanced.

@biandlargeny Okay, that's what I wanted to hear. I didn't wanna ask if you umped, because that might piss people off if they didn't, because they might still know the rules. I think the announcer's were confused. Half the time the player's throw a foul ball in the crowd.

@WizardofOz not a problem

@biandlargeny Yes, I had it confirmed from a "professional" ump. A friend's dad lol He umped MLB for one year. In MLB they don't even put a foul ball back in play, the home plate ump throws the pitcher a new ball and either says, "play ball" or just points to the pitcher to let him know the ball is now "live". Which, in high school isn't the case, because they don't have a million balls, so he said in that case, the ball is dead, until the pitcher has full possession of the ball and the batter is in the box? Does that make sense? I find it so interesting!

@WizardofOz it does. Especially when the runner can steal a base on the pitcher. Once the ump says playball., everything starts again