2nd Base tagged with glove while hole ball in hand

[timharris]

Hello All

I had a very strange play happen to me yesterday in a 12u baseball scrimmage game. I have been trying to locate a rule interpretation on this play all morning.

Here is the play: Runner takes off from 1st base too steal 2nd base the batter hits a hard shot to the right side of the 2nd basemen it hits his glove and deflects down to the ground. The 2nd basemen then picks up the ball in his right hand and with the glove on his left hand tags the base without the ball in the glove while holding up the ball.

I mean you could hear a pin drop because everyone was as confused as too what had just happened as I was. I signaled “safe”. To my surprise neither coach said a word.

Did I make the right call?

I have used this site before and it has some very knowledgeable umpires here, so thanks for any information you can offer me.

[SanDiegoSteve]

If it is a force play, the base may be tagged with any part of the body or equipment. In this case, the tag of the empty glove is the same as a foot on the base. Out is the correct call.

[BretMan]

Did the fielder touch the base before the runner did? You didn't give us that little detail and it's kind of relevent!

A tag of a base has a different criteria than a tag of a runner.

When tagging a base, the fielder may touch the base with any part of his body, or properly worn equipment, while securely holding the ball. So, catching the ball in the glove while the foot is on the bag, or touching the base with the glove while holding the ball in the bare hand are both legal tags of a base.

Tagging a runner requires actually touching the runner with the ball held securely in the hand or glove doing the touching.

As described in your sample play, the fielder has made a legal tag of the base. If he did it before the runner got there, you should have called the runner out, not safe.

[BretMan]

Hey Gaff,

You quoted me before I noticed that this was a batted ball- I just saw "steal" when I quickly read through it. About two minutes later I caught that, deleted my incorrect answer and posted a proper reply.

You must have jumped on my mistake in that two minute window...thanks...

[RPatrino]

Coach: Blue, how do you have him safe on that play?
Blue: Coach, he didn't have the ball in his glove when the glove tagged the base.
Coach: So now you want my 1st baseman to tag the base with the ball instead of his foot?

I think you get my drift!!

[timharris]

I really blew that one, well I learned from it and it will not happen again

Thanks All

Rule 2-24-1 posted below for reference.

ART. 1... A force-out is a putout during which a runner who is being forced to advance is tagged out, or is put out by a fielder who holds the ball while touching the base toward which the forced runner is advancing (9-1-1 for special case.)

I blew one similar to this last year except the play was at first. F3 touched the base with his glove but the ball was in his hand.

[Gaff]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Tim, I think you're confused on a couple of points. On the play you describe (R1 stealing second), the runner would be safe because the fielder must tag the RUNNER not the BASE. So, which hand held the ball or touched the base is of absolutely no relevence here.

No wonder nobody said a peep- some coaches are dumb, but they aren't usually that dumb!

The batter hit the ball. This is a force unless the ball was caught for an out, then the force is off.

[johnnyg08]

with the ball in hand...the defensive player could touch 2B with their hand, foot, head, ear, knee, hip, shoulder, whatever...chalk it up to experience, you missed it...they probaby didn't say anything for 1. They don't know the rules either or 2. The kids are 12