Sliding at home/second base?

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by brandda

Don't know about FED, but the LL rule is that the runner "must slide or attempt to go around".

Not quite right. Here's the LL rule 7.08(a-3)

A Runner is out if he /she does not slide or attempt to go around a Fielder who:

1. Has possession of the ball AND

2. Waiting to make a tag.

Both the aforementioned conditions MUST be met in order for the umpire to register the out. In other words, in LL there is NO Malicious contact rule as in FED.

In FED, a runner who maliciously contacts another is out whether a fielder has the ball or not or whether they are in or out of the base line FED rule 2-21-1b


My question on this is, does "go around" include up? I.e. can a runner legally jump over the catcher/fielder? I say yes as I believe that the intent of the rule is to prevent malicious collisions intended to jar the ball loose, but some of the other umpires in our league say no. I would be interested in the forum's opinions on this.

FED rule 8-4-2c

Jumping, hurdling, and leaping are all legal attempts to avoid a fielder as long as the fielder is lying on the ground.

Diving over a fielder is illegal

FED and OBR (LL) are vastly different

Pete Booth