[greymule]

I see that I missed that Situation 13 referred to a runner ON THE BAG. Sorry.

Regardless, the second part of Situation 13 still conflicts with BRD Play 115-298. Both consider (1) a runner in contact with a base, (2) the runner unintentionally hit by a batted ball, (3) the defense playing back, and (4) no infielder in position to make a play. Situation 13 says the runner is NOT out, while BRD 115-298 says he IS out.

Carl Childress quotes a post from eTeamz: "The FED has always held that the base protects a runner if the defense is playing behind a line drawn in front of the base. See 8.4.2H and I for further information." Carl's own BRD, however, says, "[In FED,] the base protects a runner only when he is hit by a declared infield fly." I think the BRD is correct.

And 8.4.2I says, "With R1 on second, B2 hits toward second. The batted ball hits R1 while he is standing on the bag or while he is on his way to third. F4 and F6 (a) are playing deep behind the baseline or (b) F6 is playing on front of the baseline. RULING: In (a), the ball is dead immediately. R1 is out and B2 is awarded first base. In (b), the touching is ignored unless it is ruled intentional, and the ball remains alive because no other fielder had a chance to make a play on the batted ball."

So 8.4.2I says the base DOES NOT protect the runner with the defense playing behind the line. And its example includes runner both on and off the bag as if to say there's no distinction.

Situation 13 is the only citation I have ever seen that says that a FED runner is protected while in contact with a base. I cannot find anything in the rule book that says the base is a sanctuary under any circumstances except infield fly. Still, I would like to know definitively that Situation 13 is incorrect when it says the ball would remain live if no fielder had a chance to play the ball.

F6 playing directly behind 2B may be fourth-world, but F3 playing a few feet behind 1B is a common sight. Three years ago, I did see a runner hit by line drive while in contact with 1B, and F3, playing behind the runner definitely had a play. The umps (not I) called him out.