[Kaliix]

I would think that if a fielder cleanly fields a ground ball and then begins to run to a base, he has already made a legal catch since "...the continuing action of the catch has been completed."(FED 2-9-1) I would also think that if the fielder already had possession of the ball and ran to the base to complete a force, that the BR is out the instant the fielder beats him to the base. Anything after that is immaterial, the out already being made.

For those of you who say the BR is safe because the ball was dropped and was not a catch, let me ask you this. Let's say the scenario is slightly different. Let's say F4 catch's a line drive towards the 1B side and R1 is stealing on the play. Now there is a race back to the 1st base bag, F4 beats the runner to the bag and then there is a collision. Is R1 out or safe. More importantly, are you going to call the BR safe now because F4 didn't make a legal catch.

I think that once the fielder catch's the ball and the continuing action of the catch is completed, the BR is out. If he starts racing to the bag and drops the ball because of a collision, that doesn't mean that there wasn't a legal catch!

Now you could argue that he might be out or safe after a collision and a dropped ball, but the catch has already been made and I think the BR is out as soon as the fielder (F4 in the example) beats him to the bag.

Control of a ball only counts when a fielder is catching a fly ball, presumably on the run, and the continuing action of the catch means he continues to run after the catch. That doesn't pertain to catching a ground ball, atleast not by FED Rules.