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Old Sat Aug 05, 2006, 12:36am
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 44
Contact Rule...

Hey guys I'm posting from Canada just wanted some interpretations from the other side of the line. I'm sorry for the longwinded post.

I was in the stands for a tournament game today, 16-18 year olds, and saw two plays at second base, in which contact was made, which resulted in the breakup of the double play. Both plays in which, under my understanding of the contact rule, should have been ruled interference.

Baseball Canada Contact rule (http://66.241.210.162/files/Canadian...ule%20Book.doc) as follows:

6.05 Contact Rule: Runners are instructed to slide or attempt to avoid making contact with a fielder. A player who maliciously runs into another player is to be declared out (unless he/she has already scored prior to committing the infraction) and is to be automatically ejected (whether or not declared safe).
B. Contact shall be considered malicious if: the contact is the result of intentional excessive force, and/or there is intent to injure.
C. Malicious contact is to be penalized whether committed by an offensive or defensive player. The Umpire shall determine whether contact was avoidable or unavoidable whether the runner was trying to reach the base or attempting to dislodge the ball from the fielder. IF the runner a) could have avoided the fielder and reached the base, or b) attempted to dislodge the ball, the runner is out even if the fielder loses the possession of the ball. The ball is dead and all other runners shall return to the last base legally occupied by them at the time of intent to contact. If the fielder blocks the base path, the runner may slide into or collide with the fielder as long as the runner is making a legitimate attempt to reach the base. IF the collision is flagrant, the runner is called out and ejected. The ball is declared dead. If the defensive player blocks the base path clearly without possession of the ball, obstruction is called. The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball is signaled. If the runner collides flagrantly, he/she shall be declared safe due to obstruction but shall be ejected. The ball is dead.

The main question I have is what is considered a legitimate attempt to reach the base. It is slide or avoid, does the slide not have to be made to avoid the contact? Under the interpretation given to me by the umpire, who made the call, and is the tourney superviser, as long as the slide is made contact is okay. Hence in his interpretation a runner can slide into second to break up the DP and make contact with the fielder as long as he can reach the base...

I work Canadian College Baseball, which plays similar rules to NCAA (as far as I'm told), in which a runner now must slide directly into the base, no arms length, etc. He cannot slide past the base to make contact, and he cannot put his hands up during his slide, or even pop up. Any such attempts should be ruled interference, and the offensive team shall be penalized, in this case by calling the BR out at first base...Is this correct?

As far as I knew, this interpretation was also the same as the Baseball Canada interpretation, yet after witnessing the two plays today, and rereading the official rules I am now second guessing myself....

Any input whatsoever is greatly appreciated. Again, sorry for making it so long.

Thanks.
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