Overthrows – if a fielder tries to catch a kicked ball but fails, deflecting the ball into foul territory, is that an “overthrow” that restricts the runners?
No – Rule 10.07a defines an overthrow as “a ball thrown, kicked, or deflected into foul territory while making a defensive play toward a player or base;” – therefore a misplayed catch of a ball directly off the kicker’s foot does not qualify, since it is not a defensive play towards a player or base. Similarly, an attempted defensive play that sails into center field does not restrict the runners either, since the ball has not entered foul territory.
