Can there be wild pitches or passed balls in a perfect game?

[RedRooster]

Pitcher throws a wild pitch on third strike, allows runner to advance to first, but the catcher catches the rebound off the backstop and throws the runner out at first.
Is that scored a wild pitch and also treated as an out to preserve the perfect game?
Or since they threw him out is the wild pitch not counted?

 

[American Gunner]

I would think that it would just be a no hitter at that point, but that is a good question.

 

[YoungGun21]

I believe it is still a perfect game because nobody reaches base.

 

[Blackjack200]

Pitcher throws a wild pitch on third strike, allows runner to advance to first, but the catcher catches the rebound off the backstop and throws the runner out at first.
Is that scored a wild pitch and also treated as an out to preserve the perfect game?
Or since they threw him out is the wild pitch not counted?

Not a WP or PB. The batter is never out on a strikeout until the ball is in the catcher's glove (on the fly) or he is thrown out at first base (or tagged).

Imagine the batter strikes out on a hard slider in the dirt. The catcher picks it clean and immediately tags the batter before he can even start running to first. This is essentially the same situation, it's only recorded as a strikeout.

 

[IceBergSLiM]

yes

 

[Oil]

Oops didn't read OP correctly, it would be a perfect game

 

[Blackjack200]

Edit: NMD

 

[preslove]

I think it would be perfect game:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/about_mlb/rules_regulations.jsp

Perfect games and No-hitters:
An official perfect game occurs when a pitcher (or pitchers) retires each batter on the opposing team during the entire course of a game, which consists of at least nine innings. In a perfect game, no batter reaches any base during the course of the game.

 

[JujuFish]

A wild pitch is only counted as a wild pitch if runners advance.

 

[rcpratt]

I didn't read the OP.

Yes, that would be a perfect game. There CAN be a WP/PB on a third strike, but as long as he doesn't reach base it doesn't matter.

 

[BrokenVisage]

There can't be a WP or a PB unless there is a runner on base, and if there is a runner on base, it can't be a perfect game.

Exactly.

 

[ElFenix]

i just spent 10 minutes reading about perfect games on wikipedia

thanks atot!

 

[Blackjack200]

I didn't read the OP.

Yes, that would be a perfect game. There CAN be a WP/PB on a third strike, but as long as he doesn't reach base it doesn't matter.

I don't think it's recorded as a PB/WP if the batter doesn't reach first.

 

[ElFenix]

10.13 Wild Pitches And Passed Balls
A wild pitch is defined in Rule 2.00 (Wild Pitch). A passed ball is a statistic charged against a catcher whose action has caused a runner or runners to advance, as set forth in this Rule 10.13.
(a) The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legally delivered ball is so high, so wide or so low that the catcher does not stop and control the ball by ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. The official scorer shall charge a pitcher with a wild pitch when a legally delivered ball touches the ground or home plate before reaching the catcher and is not handled by the catcher, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. When the third strike is a wild pitch, permitting the batter to reach first base, the official scorer shall score a strikeout and a wild pitch.
(b) The official scorer shall charge a catcher with a passed ball when the catcher fails to hold or to control a legally pitched ball that should have been held or controlled with ordinary effort, thereby permitting a runner or runners to advance. When the third strike is a passed ball, permitting the batter to reach first base, the official scorer shall score a strikeout and a passed ball.
Rule 10.13 Comment: The official scorer shall not charge a wild pitch or passed ball if the defensive team makes an out before any runners advance. For example, if a pitch touches the ground and eludes the catcher with a runner on first base, but the catcher recovers the ball and throws to second base in time to retire the runner, the official scorer shall not charge the pitcher with a wild pitch. The official scorer shall credit the advancement of any other runner on the play as a fielder’s choice. If a catcher drops a pitch, for example, with a runner on first base, but the catcher recovers the ball and throws to second base in time to retire the runner, the official scorer shall not charge the catcher with a passed ball. The official scorer shall credit the advancement of any other runner on the play as a fielder’s choice. See Rules 10.07(a), 10.12(e) and 10.12(f) for additional scoring rules relating to wild pitches and passed balls.

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[RedRooster]

I didn't read the OP.

Yes, that would be a perfect game. There CAN be a WP/PB on a third strike, but as long as he doesn't reach base it doesn't matter.

But the wild pitch would still be credited to the pitcher's stats and show up in the box score, right?

 

[rcpratt]

I don't think it's recorded as a PB/WP if the batter doesn't reach first.

I tried to find a box score with one, but I gave up due to laziness. Did find one with a runner on base and a strikeout/WP/safe at first situation.

But the wild pitch would still be credited to the pitcher's stats and show up in the box score, right?

I think so, but wild pitches aren't a traditional pitchers' score line item. It would still look like 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 (however many zeroes).

 

[edro]

It's the same as a fly out or a throw out.

 

[RedRooster]

I don't think it's recorded as a PB/WP if the batter doesn't reach first.

I guess thats the underlying question I have, would the scorekeeper charge a WP or PB since they did technically make an error even though the catcher made up for it by getting the guy out in time.

 

[ElFenix]

But the wild pitch would still be credited to the pitcher's stats and show up in the box score, right?

per the rule, a runner didn't advance so no

 

[BrokenVisage]

While we're on the topic, I think it was explained to me that a foul ball pop-up that is dropped (or some other way a team receives an error where no one reaches base) does not end a prefect game. If someone could re-confirm that it would be nice.

 

[rcpratt]

per the rule, a runner didn't advance so no

Is the batter considered a runner once he strikes out and the pitch touches the ground? Probably, I suppose.

Yeah, this is my new opinion. You can't have a WP/PB without runners on base or a runner reaching base, which strangely is what I said the first time before flip-flopping.

 

[Numenorean]

An out is an out. As long as nobody reaches a base, it's a perfect game.

It's just like someone hit a ball to an infielder and they threw him out at first.

 

[ElFenix]

While we're on the topic, I think it was explained to me that a foul ball pop-up that is dropped (or some other way a team receives an error where no one reaches base) does not end a prefect game. If someone could re-confirm that it would be nice.

why would it?

the only thing that interrupts a perfect game is the reaching of a runner. if a foul is muffed and the at-bat is prolonged, but the batter does not reach, you still have 27 up and 27 down.

 

[RedRooster]

Thank you El Fenix, that blurb of the rules solved my conundrum.

 

[Numenorean]

The only thing that ruins a perfect game is when Jim Joyce is the 1B umpire. (I was watching that game live, and from the live feed I cold tell he was out.)