missed tag play

[mcrowder]

Blue, I think you just made it worse.

There's no way you could go look at the configuration of the field after the fact and redetermine if the runner went more than 3 feet out of his own basepath to avoid a tag. The basePATH is not the baseLINE - it is determined by the point at which the runner is at the time the tag is being attempted and the base. The config of the field is completely irrelevant.

Also - I think I can forgive a missed tag call being changed after discussion with partner - you can be straightlined in any tag situation regardless of how perfect your mechanics are, and if you are straightlined, partner almost definely has SOME angle, even if from 120 feet away (although I will quibble that if you didn't SEE a tag, default to a safe call - which could be changed if you request help from partner and he saw a tag... don't default to an OUT call and ask partner if he DIDN'T see a tag).

But a call of out of the baseline can't be straightlined - you're calling him out for where he goes, and DAMN well better see it clearly to call it. There's no way PU had a better view or angle on an out of baseline call.