Checked swing

A checked swing is not an official term or call in baseball, such as a strike or ball, but is a common phrase used by commentators, fans, players, etc.

After the determination of whether or not a swing has occurred, regular rules governing the call of strikes or balls apply (see #Examples of possible outcomes) Initially, the home plate umpire must determine if a swing was checked or not checked.

Generally, factors such as whether the bat passes the front of the plate may be considered in the ruling.

We can talk about breaking wrists or the head of the bat clearing home plate or the barrel passing by the front of the body, but all of these ideas came about through generally accepted word of mouth.

If a pitch is hit during a checked swing, normal rules apply: the ball is in play as long as it is not foul[citation needed].