Newbie question
 

HAd a discussion yesterday and wondered what (if there is) a rule about a batter/runner after they safely make it to 1st base and turn to the right-towards the dugout or turns left towards the field of play, but makes no move towards advancing, but just walks back to first base and being tagged.

Thanks for this basic rule question. I looked in both the rule and case book, but saw nothing (may have missed it)

:eek:

This is one of the great myths of baseball. Unless he makes afeint or an attempt to go to second and immediately returns to first base, it makes NO difference whether he turns to his right or his left after overrunning first base.

Is there a rule or a case that speaks to it?

7.08 Any runner is out when_

(j) He fails to return at once to first base after overrunning or oversliding that base. If he attempts to run to second he is out when tagged. If, after overrunning or oversliding first base he starts toward the dugout, or toward his position, and fails to return to first base at once, he is out, on appeal, when he or the base is tagged;


The only casebook comment I can find at the moment is from the LL case book. LL is OBR based, the wording if the rule is exactly the same, and the interpretation is the same.

LL Case Book Comment: A runner may turn in any direction after reaching first base even on a base on balls. Establish the runner’s intent to determine if he/she may be put out before returning to first. If an out call is appropriate, the runner must be tagged.


The problem you will run into is that an undertrained umpire may just claim that the turn toward 2B establishes intent.

If it happens file a formal protest. It will cause him to be trained if nothing else.

Check out this list:

Jim's Baseball Rules Answers Rule Myths

Great link for new umpires and sould be rquired reading for coaches. Thanks for the info

Since you are a newbie

here is a list of the 40 myths from another web-site

Top 40 Baseball Rule Myths | eteamz


Pete Booth

Fixed your post.:)

Coaches can think what they want - it's the person making the call you have to worry about. :D

And I've seen it called . . . .

True, the only one to worry about is an umpire who would call that. I have never seen anyone in my outfit call that, as we are all trained a little better than that. But I do hear daddy-coaches and fans say it all the time, so I think the sentence makes more sense my way.:)