So a pitch gets fouled off, ump throws in a new ball obviously.
The next pitch hits the dirt, and the ump tosses a new ball. The old ball gets tossed into the dugout.
Is that ball forever retired? Does someone examine it and put it back into rotation? I mean if a batter hits a ball right into the dirt and it two hops to first and he's out, they go around the horn and the pitcher gets that ball back. Why is that different than a pitch hitting the dirt?
If they do permanently remove a ball from play if one pitch is thrown on it and it hit the dirt, how many do they really go through? What's the average lifespan of a ball?


I need to know more about balls.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Google says the life span of a baseball is seven pitches, on the average. Then they are used for batting practice or sent to the minors for use there.

Someone on the radio today said four pitches, which works out with math on the averages, as well.

I always assumed there was an additional umpire, not working the game, but available to fill in as needed, who would be getting the balls back from the ball boy to check and reuse as determined by the damage.

Uhhh. I think you might want to reconsider the title to this thread. Unless...

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This reminds me of the you made the right call.