And here's my response to Carl from the other forum:
Here is situation 13 from the NFHS that Carl referred to:SITUATION 13:
With the shortstop playing behind second base and in a position to make a catch, the runner standing on second base is hit by a line drive.
RULING: The ball is dead and the runner on second base is declared out. The batter runner is awarded first base. If no infielder had been in a position to make a play, the ball would remain live, provided the runner did not intentionally allow himself to be hit by the batted ball. (5-1 1f1, 8-4-2k, 6-1-5)
Carl, while you read this as a "situation specific interpretation", I see this as a clarification of interpretation of the rules cited (5-1 1f1, 8-4-2k, 6-1-5) by the "2002 NFHS BASEBALL RULES INTERPRETATIONS."
Carl states:
Number 13 is merely a clarification that a runner on base could be out when hit, even though the fielder is behind that line, when the fielder is in "position" to make a catch.
Carl, I don't think that point ever needed clarification. We have all been trained to know that a base is NOT a sanctuary with regards to a batted ball, and that a player being hit while on the base "could be out when hit" with a batted ball.
This ruling does not add that information to any interpretation---as you seem to think it does.
What the ruling really adds is that the runner
could be ruled safe before the ball passes any infielder if the umpire judges that "no infielder had been in a position to make a play" (from the ruling).
While you interpret this ruling to only apply to a runner on base (because that is the
example used to show the interpretation, I would interpret this to apply anywhere on the basepath---not just a runner standing on the base.
Let's look at the following situation:
R1, R2. With a strong LH pull hitter at the plate, defense has decided F6 will cover steal attempts at 2B. F4 is deep in the hole. On the pitch, R1 and R2 both attempt to steal. F5 moves toward 3rd to cover, and F6 moves toward 2nd to cover. However, Mr. Pullhitter goes with the outside pitch and rips a one-hopper dead to the opening between F5 and F6, but the batted ball hits the stealing R2.
I would say that even though F5 and F6 may still be behind the basepath of R2, that R2 would not be declared out if it were judged that "no infielder had been in a position to make a play" (per the
ruling of NFHS play #13---specific words used and cited). The Fed in their
ruling doesn't even mention the fact that it's due to the runner being on the base. They do mention in their "ruling" the fact that "no infielder had been in a position to make a play."
Carl, I think you missed issue of the caseplay vs. the "ruling." It's not that he's standing on the base, and it's certainly not "a clarification that a runner on base could be out when hit", we all knew that before. Rather, it is to show that "If no infielder had been in a position to make a play" then the runner would not need to be declared out even if the ball has not yet passed an infielder other than the pitcher.
Just my opinion,
Freix