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. Picture of Fenway Park. ... Home plate umpire Gary Darling signals that the last pitch was a strike In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and meting out discipline. ... Batter can have several meanings: In cooking, batter is a thick or thin mixture, usually made of a ground grain, a liquid, and a fat. ... In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat. ... In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by PO or fly-ball when appropriate) is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods: tagging a runner with the ball touching a base that a runner on a force play is trying to reach catching...

• 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 that base or touches 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 base with fewer than two outs, the batter interferes with a fielder and such action hinders a potential tag out near home base; 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.

Batter can have several meanings: In cooking, batter is a thick or thin mixture, usually made of a ground grain, a liquid, and a fat. ... In baseball, a strikeout or strike out (denoted by K, K-S, or SO) occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. ... In baseball, the rules state that a batted ball is considered in flight when it has not yet touched any object other than a fielder or his equipment. ... A bunt is a special type of offensive technique in baseball or fastpitch softball. ... In baseball, softball, and similar sports and games, the batters box is the place where the batter stands when ready to receive a pitch from the pitcher. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... In baseball, a sequence of nine players bat in order, taking turns in an attempt to become a runner and reach base or to help preceding runners to score. ... In baseball, softball, and similar sports and games, the batters box is the place where the batter stands when ready to receive a pitch from the pitcher. ... In baseball and softball, batter-runner is a term for the batter during the play in which he/she becomes a baserunner. ... In baseball, when the ball is alive (or in play), the game can proceed. ... In baseball statistics, a base on balls (BB), also called a walk, is used in baseball to track the performance of pitchers and batters. ... In baseball, the infield fly rule is a special case designed to prevent the defense from gaining an unfair double play by intentionally allowing an easy fly ball to drop to the ground. ... In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat. ... In baseball, a force is a situation when a baserunner is compelled (or forced) to vacate his time-of-pitch base--and thus try to advance to the next base--because the batter became a runner. ... In baseball, a force play or force out, referred to as a force when the possibility of such a play exists, is a situation when a baserunner is compelled to vacate his time-of-pitch base because the batter became a runner. ... In baseball, the time of pitch is that instant when the pitcher has begun his pitching motion and, by the rules, has committed himself to throwing the pitch. ... In baseball, a runner must tag up if a batted ball is caught in flight. ... In baseball, an appeal play occurs when a member of the defensive team calls the attention of an umpire to an infraction which he would otherwise ignore. ... In baseball a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielders hand holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy. ... In baseball a tag out, sometimes just called a tag, is a play in which a baserunner is out because he is touched by the fielders hand holding a live ball while the runner is in jeopardy. ... In baseball, an appeal play occurs when a member of the defensive team calls the attention of an umpire to an infraction which he would otherwise ignore. ... Alex Rodriguez commits interference, 2004 In baseball, interference is an infraction where a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. ... A baseball field is a playing field used for baseball. ...

Further reading

• Official rules for batters, including when the batter is out
• Official rules for runners, including when the runner is out