Help! Rules 5.09(f), 7.08(f), and 7.09(m)

[Rich]

Originally Posted by ggk

thanks for the insight.
can someone cite the applicable rule in FED, NCAA and OBR ?

while I am on board with Dave's interpretation, I am having a tough time convincing any of my recent partners that this is the correct ruling. they all seem to want to use a very liberal use of the idea of the ball "passing" a fielder and no one else having a chance to make a play. in their minds the ball could be 10- 20 ft to the right of the 1st baseman and if the 2nd baseman cannot make a play (ie. he is covering 2nd on an attempted steal) the runner is not out if he is hit.

thanks.

Well, that gives a huge advantage to the offense if the ball hits the runner and bounces well out of reach of any other fielder.

It's pretty clear from all the discussions and citations thrown through the series of tubes known as the Internet the past 10 years that the offense has responsibility to avoid being hit by a batted ball except under specific circumstances. What is being posted by Dave Hensley and Bob Jenkins is the most current, AFAIK.