[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by Hotshot

Minor League baseball. Runner on 2nd. Ball hit to outfield. R2 rounds 3rd base. Catcher has foot on part of home Plate waiting for the throw. R2 runs home without sliding. R2 bumps shoulder of catcher. Ball isn't in the infield yet. Is R2 out? This happened during a playoff game and they called R2 out. It was taken to the Board and they also said the runner was out.

First let's get rid of the myth. There is no must slide rule anywhere.

If you are referring to LL Minors - here's the rule.

LL rule 7.08(a-3)

Any runner is out when:
the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball AND waiting to make a tag.

BOTH (Not one) of the aforementioned conditions have to be met. In your scenario, neither one of the above was prevelant. The fielder (F2) didn't have the ball and wasn't waiting to make a tag, so the runner is safe.

If the contact by the runner was deemed malicious, then the runner is ejected.

If this is HS, then FED rules 8-4-2(c and e) are applicable.

FED rule 8-4-2 any runner is out when he / she:

c. Does not legally attempt to avoid a fielder in the IMMEDIATE act of making a play on him/her.

g. Initiates malicious contact

In your sceanrio again IMO from your description F2 was not in the IMMEDIATE act of making a play so there isn't a violation of 8-4-2c. As far as malicious contact goes, If r3 maliciously contcated F2 AFTER he / she scored, the run still counts and you would have an ejection. If the malicious contact occured BEFORE runner crossed plate, then we have an out and and ejection.

Strictly going by your thread, the runner is safe in all 3 rule- books and unless the bump by r3 on F2 was deemed malicious - there is no infraction.

If this were true PRO ball it's nothing.

Pete Booth

[Edited by PeteBooth on Apr 22nd, 2002 at 11:10 AM]