Baserunner Called Out

[bas2456]

Less than two outs, runner on second base only.

The ball is hit slowly up the middle. The pitcher does not field the ball. The baserunner, not having a force, stands on second base, and the ball hits him.

What's the call?

[ilyazhito]

The baserunner is out, and the batter is awarded 1st base, if the ball did not pass an infielder who had a chance to field the ball. Otherwise, nothing happens. The base is not a safe haven for runners hit by batted balls, except for infield flies.

[john5396]

remember the base runner is out for interfering with the play by an infielder on a batted ball, not for being hit by the ball. So standing on the base does not excuse his interfering with the shortstop fielding the ball and making a play of the BR.

Dont think of being hit by a batted ball as being similar to being tagged out by a fielder in which case being on the base would protect the runner from being called out, it is interference. So the question is has the ball passed an infielder other than the pitcher, and if the ball has passed an infielder, is there another infielder who in the umpires judgement has a play 8-4-2-k.

[ilyazhito]

I guess that is the logic behind the exception for infield flies hitting a runner on a base: because the batter is already out when the infield fly is declared, even if the ball was not touched, the play was technically already made on him, resulting in the batter being retired, making the fact that the batted ball hit the runner moot. Otherwise, the runner is out for being hit with a batted ball (even when on a base), because his being hit denied the defense the opportunity to make a play on the batter-runner or other runners. If that does not apply (the ball passed an infielder, and/or no one is in position to make a play), then the runner has not interfered (despite being hit), because no play can be made.

This is crystal-clear for baseball, but softball had to confuse umpires by declaring a base a safe haven for runners at all times, even when said runners are hit by batted balls, and would otherwise be guilty of interference. Disregard if you work baseball only.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by john5396

remember the base runner is out for interfering with the play by an infielder on a batted ball, not for being hit by the ball.

NOPE! He's out for being hit by the batted ball.

[josephrt1]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

The baserunner is out, and the batter is awarded 1st base, if the ball did not pass an infielder who had a chance to field the ball. Otherwise, nothing happens. The base is not a safe haven for runners hit by batted balls, except for infield flies.

Guys, I don't do baseball and actually never read this forum but stumbled across this. The answer to this post didn't seem right to me and i looked in the 2015 MLB rule book. On page 63, rule 6.01 it states:

"If, however, the runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders the fielder, he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on fair or foul territory, is intentional. If the umpire declares the hindrance intentional, the following penalty shall apply: With less than two out, the umpire shall declare both the runner and batter out. With two out, the umpire shall declare the batter out."

This reads to me like the base is a safe place and unless the runner does something to intentionally interfere, the runner would not be out.

[umpjim]

@john5396 has led you astray with his reference to interfering with a fielder's ability to field a batted ball when a runner is hit by a batted ball not physically hindering the fielder. @RichIves succinctly corrected that post.
A runner is protected by the comment you cited when he is on the base and a fielder is attempting to field a batted ball in that vicinity. Any contact with the fielder would have to be judged intentional if the runner was in contact with the base. He is not protected from being called out for being touched by a fair batted ball.
Even with no infielder having a play on a base hit a runner hit by that batted ball will be out absent the exceptions in the rule.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by josephrt1

Guys, I don't do baseball and actually never read this forum but stumbled across this. The answer to this post didn't seem right to me and i looked in the 2015 MLB rule book. On page 63, rule 6.01 it states:

"If, however, the runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders the fielder, he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on fair or foul territory, is intentional. If the umpire declares the hindrance intentional, the following penalty shall apply: With less than two out, the umpire shall declare both the runner and batter out. With two out, the umpire shall declare the batter out."

This reads to me like the base is a safe place and unless the runner does something to intentionally interfere, the runner would not be out.

Wrong rule. That is about interfering with a fielder. This play is about interfering with the batted ball.

6.01 (a) Batter or Runner Interference
It is interference by a batter or a runner when:

(11) A fair ball touches him on fair territory before touching a
fielder. If a fair ball goes through, or by, an infielder, and
touches a runner immediately back of him, or touches the
runner after having been deflected by a fielder, the
umpire shall not declare the runner out for being touched
by a batted ball. In making such decision the umpire must
be convinced that the ball passed through, or by, the
fielder, and that no other infielder had the chance to make
a play on the ball. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the
runner deliberately and intentionally kicks such a batted
ball on which the infielder has missed a play, then the
runner shall be called out for interference.

PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out
and the ball is dead.

[josephrt1]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Wrong rule. That is about interfering with a fielder. This play is about interfering with the batted ball.

6.01 (a) Batter or Runner Interference
It is interference by a batter or a runner when:

(11) A fair ball touches him on fair territory before touching a
fielder. .........

PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out
and the ball is dead.

Thanks, interesting distinction and that there is no exception for being in contact with a base. I'll stick to the softball sites from now on!

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by josephrt1

Thanks, interesting distinction and that there is no exception for being in contact with a base. I'll stick to the softball sites from now on!

Interesting distinction in softball that the base is a haven.