When is BR Out?

[David Emerling]

c) immediately upon touching home plate;
d) immediately upon passing home plate or the third base line

c) and d) would be my choices.

By interpretation c) is definitely correct. But what if the BR retreats and doesn't actually touch the plate? If he retreats past it (i.e. past the third baseline), he is also out.

The batter would also be out by entering the dugout (g), but he would be out well before then if I thought he left the baseline for the purpose of avoiding a tag. I think I would always rule that the runner left the baseline for the purpose of avoiding a tag since I am very unlikely going to allow a runner to veer off, stop short of his dugout steps, and then make a break for 1st.

The ruling would be that the BR is out-of-the-baseline. The ball remains live.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN