Quote:
Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA
It is ASA and my ruling would be two bases from the time the defender last touched the ball based upon the July 2009 Rule Clarification that a fielder who kicks a ball and it leaves play based on that impetus (as opposed to that of a batted ball deflecting off a fielder and leaving play) being handled the same as if the fielder threw the ball.
Since F5 redirected the ball to the point of causing it to leave play that is the point from which my award will be.
For those who believe the runner has any bearing on this, citations please and, BTW, 8.5.I.4, 8.7.L is not in effect, but 8.8.F is 
Now, 8.5.I.2 may be in contention, but you would have to ignore the aforementioned rules classification. I don't believe being a batted ball had anything to do with the ball entering DBT. |
Understand that application, but as I read the play (HTBT), it doesn't read that the fielder provided a new impetus. The act of "booting" the ball, to me, is not a new impetus, it simply redirects the batted ball, making it a deflected ball, 8.5-I(4). It reads to me that if there was a new impetus at all, it was the runner inadvertantly tripping and kicking the ball. The only rule applying to that is 8.5-I(4), and that rule also awards bases at the time of the pitch.
HTBT, or an issue of understanding what the writer meant and judged to have happen. There are actually two differing definitions of "booting", so we don't know what the writer actually meant. It can mean actually "kicking", but in sports slang (both football and baseball), it is a synonym to "muffing", or simply failing make the play!! If F5 did add a new impetus, not simply redirect the existing force, then I can agree with you, Mike. But simply changing the direction (where booting is muffing) is deflecting, not a new impetus, and then I would still believe that 8.5-I(2) is the definitive citation, and that 8.5-I(4) and 8.8-F are subsequent and incidental action, and only supportive of clarifying that the runner is not out.
We could both be right based on the original post, and HTBT.