<P> To signal an out, an umpire generally makes a fist with one hand, and then flexes that arm either upward, particularly on pop flies, or forward, particularly on routine plays at first base . Home plate umpires often use a "punch - out" motion to signal a called third strike . </P> <P> The most common ways batters or runners are put out are by strikeouts, fly outs, tag outs, and force outs; however, there are many, somewhat rarer, ways an out can occur . </P> <Ul> <Li> The batter is out when: <Ul> <Li> with two strikes, he swings at a pitched ball and misses; </Li> <Li> with two strikes, he does not swing at a pitch that the umpire judges to be in the strike zone (and the catcher catches the ball and does not drop it); </Li> <Li> with two strikes, he foul tips a pitch directly back into the catcher's mitt, and the catcher holds the ball and does not drop it; </Li> <Li> with two strikes, he bunts a pitch into foul territory; </Li> <Li> the third strike is pitched and caught in flight; </Li> <Li> on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs; </Li> <Li> he is hit by his own fair ball, outside the batter's box, before the ball is played by a fielder; </Li> <Li> he commits interference; </Li> <Li> he fails to bat in his proper turn and is discovered in an appeal; </Li> <Li> he hits a pitch while one foot is entirely outside the batter's box; </Li> <Li> he steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch; or </Li> <Li> he is found to have used an altered bat . </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> The batter - runner is out when: <Ul> <Li> a fielder with a live ball in his possession touches first base or tags the batter - runner before the batter - runner reaches first base (except when the batter is awarded first base, such as on a base on balls); </Li> <Li> a batted ball is caught in flight (fly out); or </Li> <Li> he hits an infield popup while the infield fly rule applies; </Li> <Li> a fielder intentionally drops a line drive with fewer than two outs in a force situation (man on first, men on first and second, men on first and third, bases loaded) in an attempt to create a double play; </Li> <Li> a preceding runner interferes with a fielder trying to complete a double play on the batter - runner; </Li> <Li> the batter - runner does not return directly to first base after overrunning the bag and he is tagged with the ball by a fielder . </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> Any baserunner, other than the batter - runner, is out when: <Ul> <Li> he is forced out; that is, he fails to reach his force base before a fielder with a live ball touches that base; </Li> <Li> 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); </Li> <Li> while he is attempting to reach home plate with fewer than two outs, the batter interferes with a fielder and such action hinders a potential tag out near home plate; </Li> <Li> he is found to have committed a mockery of the game, for example a stolen base of first from second; </Li> <Li> he is found to be an illegal substitute . </Li> </Ul> </Li> <Li> Any baserunner, including the batter - runner, is out when: <Ul> <Li> 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; </Li> <Li> he passes a base without touching it and a member of the defensive team properly executes a live ball appeal; </Li> <Li> 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; </Li> <Li> he strays more than three feet (. 91 meters) from his running baseline in attempting to avoid a tag; </Li> <Li> he passes a preceding runner who is not out; </Li> <Li> he is touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed an infielder . The ball is dead and no runner may score, nor runners advance, except runners forced to advance . EXCEPTION: If a runner is touching his base when touched by an Infield Fly, he is not out, although the batter is out; </Li> <Li> he intentionally abandons his effort to run the bases; or </Li> <Li> he runs the bases in reverse order in an attempt to confuse the defense or to make a travesty of the game . </Li> </Ul> </Li> </Ul> <Li> The batter is out when: <Ul> <Li> with two strikes, he swings at a pitched ball and misses; </Li> <Li> with two strikes, he does not swing at a pitch that the umpire judges to be in the strike zone (and the catcher catches the ball and does not drop it); </Li> <Li> with two strikes, he foul tips a pitch directly back into the catcher's mitt, and the catcher holds the ball and does not drop it; </Li> <Li> with two strikes, he bunts a pitch into foul territory; </Li> <Li> the third strike is pitched and caught in flight; </Li> <Li> on any third strike, if a baserunner is on first and there are fewer than two outs; </Li> <Li> he is hit by his own fair ball, outside the batter's box, before the ball is played by a fielder; </Li> <Li> he commits interference; </Li> <Li> he fails to bat in his proper turn and is discovered in an appeal; </Li> <Li> he hits a pitch while one foot is entirely outside the batter's box; </Li> <Li> he steps from one batter's box to the other when the pitcher is ready to pitch; or </Li> <Li> he is found to have used an altered bat . </Li> </Ul> </Li>

How far can you run off the baseline in baseball