FPSR Question
 

Just wanted a clarification on something.

R1 going into second base on a 5 or 6-4-3 DP attempt. F4 sets up inside the bases to recieve the throw for out at second

If the runner slides away from the fielder but outside a direct line between the bases (Shaded "U" area in NCAA book) towards the outfield side he's fine.

Now, what if because the fielder has set up on the inside, runner slides outside to avoid contact, but either the throw is high/wide and carries the fielder to the outside or F4 takes a bad pivot and ends up on outfield side and there is contact.

Is this a FPSR violation?

The runner had commited to doing something that he's legaly allowed to do (slide away from the fielder to avoid contact) but a defensive "mess up" caused the fielder to venture into the slide path.

If you judge that the runner was sliding to the opposite side of the base, away from the fielder, he has not committed any rule violation. If, because of a misplayed ball by the defense, the fielder adjusts and is now in the area occupied by the sliding runner, I have nothing, except possibly an arguemnet by the defensive coach. Once I have the runner committing to a slide away from the play, I will protect him. If, however, the runner had an opportunity to still avoid the fielder playing the misplayed ball, I would not protect him and he would be in jeopardy for being called out on a FPSR.

I think the onus is on the runner to avoid the contact. So, it's HTBT, and I agree with UmpTT, but the benefit of the doubt goes to the defense.

+1

The reason that the defense gets the benefit of the doubt is that the runner has a way to avoid INT in every situation: slide directly into the base. Any other course carries some risk.

+1

The runner can ALWAYS avoid a FPSR call by sliding directly to the base. Do anything else and he's taking a risk. If the defense is already making a throw to first, it's easy to slide away. But if he's still waiting on the ball, I'm giving the benefit to the defense -- he can complete the play however he wants.

Excellent posts. The question is: "If the runner slides away from a fielder making a play, does the slide become a legal slide? If so, can the same slide subsequently become illegal?"

Incidentally, I wish they would delete "illegal" and "illegally" from 8-4-2-b. As written, it implies that a runner can slide illegally (or not slide legally) and still cause legal contact or altering of the play. I don't believe that is the case.

What makes it more interesting is that at the FED level, case plays and interps suggest that any contact away from the bag constitutes illegal contact. In this situation you find yourself having to discern between the black and white of the interps or the grey area generated by the play.