The Official Forum - Tag Up After A Foul Ball

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Tag Up After A Foul Ball

I had someone call me the other night and ask about this and I couldn't give them a reference in a book because I can't find my books and still cant.

Does a runner or runners have to tag up after a foul ball not caught or can they just keep stationary wherever they please?

Rule number please. Thank you

Quote:

Originally Posted by MOofficial (Post 684738)

5.09(e).

Read it carefully so you understand who has to do what when and what the penalties are.

MOofficial,

After a foul ball, any runners must return to the vicinity of their TOP base before the ball is put in play. Whether they actually touch the base or not is immaterial.

From OBR:

Quote:

5.09 The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when—
...
(e) A foul ball is not caught; runners return. The umpire shall not put the ball in play until all runners have retouched their bases;

From the JEA discussion of 5.09(e):

Quote:

Customs and Usage: Professional umpires routinely put the ball back in play before runners actually retouch. As a matter of fact, many runners never actually retouch their original base before the next pitch is delivered. This is a common and accepted practice in pro baseball. Umpires, however, are cautioned to make sure runners are back in the “close vicinity” of their original bases before they put the ball in play in accordance with Rule 5.11.

5.09 The ball becomes dead and runners advance one base, or return to their bases, without liability to be put out, when-
(e) A foul ball is not caught; runners return. The umpire shall not put the ball in play until all runners have retouched their bases;

7.10 Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when-
(b) With the ball in play, while advancing or returning to a base, he fails to touch each base in order before he, or a missed base, is tagged.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmartin (Post 684741)

Dont get to technical on this one. You cannot enforce 7.10 on 5.09 because you the umpire are told not to place the ball in play until touches are made. Thats why the JEA reference was made. This rule simply makes the umpire assure that the runner doesnt get an unfair lead when the ball is placed back in play. As JJ always says, dont go looking for buggers.......

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmartin (Post 684741)

rbmartin,

By rule, it is not necessary for a runner returning to his TOP base following an uncaught foul to touch any intervening bases on his way back to his TOP base.

For example:

R1, "going on the pitch". Batter lifts a towering fly ball deep into the LF corner. The ball lands foul after the runner has passed 2B and he cuts across the diamond, completely bypassing 2B on his return to 1B. After the ball is properly put back in play, the defense properly appeals the R1's miss of 2B on his return to 1B.

Ruling: Safe! The runner has no obligation to retouch 2B on his return to 1B in this sitch.

Ref:

Quote:

7.02 In advancing, a runner shall touch first, second, third and home base in order. If forced to return, he shall retouch all bases in reverse order, unless the ball is dead under any provision of Rule 5.09. In such cases, the runner may go directly to his original base.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbmartin (Post 684741)

7.10 Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when-
(b) With the ball in play, while advancing or returning to a base, he fails to touch each base in order before he, or a missed base, is tagged.

This is totally and utterly irrelevant to the OP. Failure to retouch the TOP base or any advance base is never under any circumstances grounds for granting an out on appeal after an uncaught foul ball.

I think the wording in the rule was instituted because runners on a foul ball would station themselves about two or three feet from the base they were advancing to. They merely said they were taking their lead from their last legally occupied base. Thus the wording, must return to touch his TOP base.