Catch/No Catch

[Bob Bainter]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

What argument? I'm not arguing. If a fielder traps the ball against his body with his hand or glove, and touches the base before the runner on a force, it's an out. No argument to be had.

No, that's not true. If he has it trapped up against his body with his hand, glove, or any other body part (Picture that!!!), and the runner touches the bag before he, for lack of a better word, "un-traps" it (I know, poor English), he's not out. This is rule 2.00, definition of a "tag", which is how a runner is put out:

A TAG is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with hishand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove.

So if a guy has a ball "trapped," which is what you described, against his body with his hand or glove, how can you "securely" trap it for the out?