Establishing Baseline

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by tibear

It is clear that the baserunner has to run to third in this situation, and rule 7.08 clearly states:

Any runner is out when --
(a) (1) He runs more than three feet away from his baseline to avoid being tagged unless his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s baseline is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely;

IN this situation the runner has run at least three feet away from his basline to avoid tag. He isn't avoiding a fielder who is fielding a batted ball, thus the umpire should automatically call him out.

Am I wrong? Where is the flaw in the logic of following this rule?

I misunderstood your original post. I thought you were saying that he was near third and simply started running toward home plate. If you meant that he ran AROUND the third baseman on the HP side, and then went to third, you have an out - not for abandonment ... but for running more than 3 feet outside his basepath to avoid a tag.