Puzzler Answer, 6/7/97: Dropping The Ball

RAY: Oh here it is. The answer to last week's Puzzler.

TOM: First is the question to last week's Puzzler which you probably would like me to explain to you.

RAY: Sure.

TOM: Or remind you of in case you forgot it.

RAY: It's becoming increasingly obvious to me that I'm unnecessary. You know the Puzzlers, you know the answers so...

TOM: Remember the little scrap...

RAY: You do most of the talking.

TOM: Remember the little scrap of paper?

RAY: You lost it?

TOM: I lost it. I went nuts looking for it this morning and I couldn't find it anywhere. So I have no idea.

RAY: You're at my mercy?

TOM: Except that I know it has something to do with baseball.

RAY: No it was the three girls...

TOM: From Nantucket?

RAY: No. Alright here it is. It is a baseball puzzler since baseball season is now in full swing.

TOM: So to speak.

RAY: Tee hee hee. I'll just set the scene for you. It's the ninth inning.

TOM: Yeah.

RAY: There's a batter at the plate. The pitcher throws the ball, which is what usually happens -- well he does a bunch of -- scratches his butt -- the batter scratches...

TOM: Looks around.

RAY: OK.

TOM: Waves at the first baseman.

RAY: There's a long fly ball hit to the right field corner.

TOM: Yeah.

RAY: Deep. Back. Back. It nears the stands. The outfielder runs and positions himself to catch the ball and in fact, he makes the catch.

TOM: Great!

RAY: He then, on purpose, drops the ball. The question very simply was, why did he do this? He dropped it so that it wouldn't not be recorded as an out. And the answer is not because he suddenly remembered that he plays for the Boston Red Sox.

TOM: Yeah. That was my answer.

RAY: I didn't give you the whole scene obviously. I had to leave out some important pieces of information. Had I given you all the information...

TOM: It would not be a puzzler.

RAY: It would be too easy. There was a runner on third base.

TOM: Right.

BOTH: There was one out.

RAY: The fly ball that's hit to the outfield is in fact deep, but it is also a foul ball. He makes the catch in foul territory and realizing that the guy on third base could tag up and score the winning run -- because the score was tied...

TOM: And you left that out too.

RAY: I left that out. I had to leave it out. I had to! I had to Jerry! And if the scores -- and if he catches the ball the guys going to tag up from the third -- even though it's a foul ball -- you can tag up on a foul ball.

TOM: I didn't know that actually.

RAY: Well that's why you didn't get the right answer.

TOM: But I asked you the right question.

RAY: What was that?

TOM: I said "can you tag up on a foul ball?"

RAY: Oh.

TOM: And then I said Oh.

RAY: And of course he realizes that he has to take his chances and drop the ball hoping that the pitcher will get like a strike out or some such thing and that's why he drops the ball. Because the umpire runs out and rules it a catch -- the guy scores and then the game's over. Who's our winner?

TOM: The winner is -- oh interesting name. Jay Hipps from Vallejo -- is that how you pronounce that?

RAY: I think Vallejo.

TOM: Vallejo, California. And for having your correct answer chosen at random Jay, from the thousands of correct answers that we got.

RAY: And we did get thousands.

TOM: Oh! Our buddy Jay is going to win a free, honorary copy of the 2nd Best of Car Talk CD and I think that's a really wonderful gift.

[ Car Talk Puzzler ]