runner struck by thrown ball

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by LDUB

Check out F. "As a runner or retired runner, fails to execute a legal slide, or does not attempt to avoid the fielder or the play on a force play at any base." The runner has to either slide or get out of the way. Running in a direct line between the bases is not getting out of the way.

The way I see it, and I'm not alone in this, is that the rules state that runners are never required to slide (8-4-2{b} NOTE). This takes care of the first part. He only has to execute a legal slide when he is at risk of contacting the fielder, not when he is 10 feet away.

He does have to avoid the fielder (which he is not violating, as he was hit with a thrown ball 6 to 10 feet from the base). So he avoided the fielder.

He also must not interfere with the play on a force at any base (which he is not violating, because the play on the force was already successful). Since he was retired on the force play, he did not interfere with that play.

8-4-2(f) has everything to do with the play at the base itself, not any following play, such as a relay to first to complete a double play.

The runner was plunked by a ball on a play on which the fielder could have done a much better job of turning the double play. Unless the runner intentionally allowed the ball to hit him, or made a move to get hit by the ball in some way, I don't have interference.