BR Retreats To Avoid Tag

[Spence]

Reds/Phils game tonight. Sac bunt. F3 fields it and runs towards BR. BR backs up (ie back towards home plate) and F3 somehow forgets to tag him. BR goes to first and is safe.

A few people have said he should have been out because "you're not allowed to back up between home and first."

I've never heard that and couldn't find it in reading OBR.

Anyone?

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by Spence

Reds/Phils game tonight. Sac bunt. F3 fields it and runs towards BR. BR backs up (ie back towards home plate) and F3 somehow forgets to tag him. BR goes to first and is safe.

A few people have said he should have been out because "you're not allowed to back up between home and first."

I've never heard that and couldn't find it in reading OBR.

Anyone?

Legal in baseball.

[JRutledge]

I saw the play on SportsCenter and I would not call that retreating as much as avoiding the tag. It looked like he only took a couple of steps backward and then went around the fielder that made a bad tag attempt.

Peace

[Rita C]

Originally Posted by Spence

Reds/Phils game tonight. Sac bunt. F3 fields it and runs towards BR. BR backs up (ie back towards home plate) and F3 somehow forgets to tag him. BR goes to first and is safe.

A few people have said he should have been out because "you're not allowed to back up between home and first."

I've never heard that and couldn't find it in reading OBR.

Anyone?

It's legal in baseball. Not in softball.

In baseball you have to return all the way to the plate to be out.

Rita

[mbyron]

Common baseball myth. :shrug:

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Spence

"you're not allowed to back up between home and first."

TRUE!!!!

(If you're playing softball)

[Multiple Sports]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I saw the play on SportsCenter and I would not call that retreating as much as avoiding the tag. It looked like he only took a couple of steps backward and then went around the fielder that made a bad tag attempt.

Peace

While agree with your assertion, in FP softball that is an out and a dead ball and all runners are to return to their base...would need clarifiction from a FP umpire regarding runners on base.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Multiple Sports

While agree with your assertion, in FP softball that is an out and a dead ball and all runners are to return to their base...would need clarifiction from a FP umpire regarding runners on base.

I have a suggestion, have them stop doing softball and then this will be more clear.

Peace

[dileonardoja]

How many references to softball are we going to have on the baseball forum? Oh... there is another one.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by dileonardoja

How many references to softball are we going to have on the baseball forum? Oh... there is another one.

Some of us do "go both ways", so I have no problem with it. And it's always helpful to discuss how things happen "over there". Sometimes, it sheds light as to why there may be confusion.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Some of us do "go both ways"...

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[Multiple Sports]

Not something I would want to admit to on a site read by 98% guys....

This is going south real fast !!!!!!

[Multiple Sports]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I have a suggestion, have them stop doing softball and then this will be more clear.

Peace

Rut - You got me....

Going back to the basketball forum where I belong............

[aceholleran]

Originally Posted by Manny A

Some of us do "go both ways", so I have no problem with it. And it's always helpful to discuss how things happen "over there". Sometimes, it sheds light as to why there may be confusion.

I concur,oh Apostle Aponte.

Ace in PA

[UMP25]

This play occurred in a semi-final summer collegiate league tournament game in early August. I was on the bases when the BR hit a squibber back to the pitcher moving toward the 1st base line. As F1 attempted to tag the BR, the BR retreated toward home a few steps and F1 gave up his attempt to tag him. Finally, someone from the defensive team's dugout yelled, "Tag him!" So F1 takes a few steps toward the plate and tags the BR.

At the time, there were runners on 1st and 2nd, both of whom advanced to their next bases. R1, who was now on 2nd, yells out, "No, he's out anyway because he went back toward the plate." After play had stopped, I turned around and politely told R1 that that wasn't true and that the BR is out for retreating, absent a tag, only if he reaches the plate. To my shock, R1 begins to get into an argument with me, telling me, "You don't know the rules. He's out." No, I didn't eject R1, but I did laugh and had some more fun with him.

Frickin' idiot.

Oh, BTW, a reminder that if a BR is retreating toward the plate, obstruction on a fielder (F1, F2, etc.) is NOT called unless it's intentional.