A says the runner must be tagged,
B says the runner is out of the baseline but it only applies if the fielder has the ball and is making a tag attempt
C says pretty much the same thing as B.
D is all of the above

It has to be D.

For the purpose of discussion, unless you don't judge him to be out of his base path. Then it can't be B or C, so then it's not D, so it has to be A.

"For the being 'out of the baseline principle' to apply, the fielder must have secured the ball and be attempting a tag."

Why isn't this correct?

I'm not saying I disagree w/ "C" as a statement. But I don't think C applies to this question.

The rule states: (which I'm certain you know),

"In running to any base, while trying to avoid being tagged out, the runner runs more than three feet left or right from a direct line between the base and the runner's location at the time a play is being made"

If you answer "C" I can live with that, but the answer can't be D. (Again, I'm not saying I'm right. I appreciate the discussion)

I think the runner clearly runs more than 3' from his path. IF F5 had caught the ball, we'd have an out.

So, I'm answering "D".

I wish everyone could see the video. I really don't think he runs more than three feet from the tag when the potential tag is attempted. That may not be what they're trying to convey from the question though.

Three feet is a short distance: generally an arm's length. If the fielder has to move at all to reach him, then he "left the baseline."

If you don't think the runner was out of the "baseline," then the correct answers would be A and C.

Only if the runner is moving around the fielder. Often the runner is moving away from the fielder (partly toward a base, partly away from the fielder), and what appears to be more than 3 feet is not actually that far. Especially if the runner is already moving away before the tag attempt starts.

I would have to watch the video again, but I think the runner was moving around F5 in this clip before the ball got to him.

That's exactly what trips up the standard parent/fan - they see a player running "around" a fielder and assume they MUST be 3 feet outside the baseline (nevermind that it's the basepath that matters), and don't realize the path is made when the tag starts, not when the runner begins deviating.

This is where I'm confused..."A" says, "This runner must be tagged to be out in this situation" -- but if we judge the runner to be more than 3' out of his baseline, he doesn't need to be tagged (of course, as long as the fielder has the ball) -- he's out for being more than 3' from his path...correct?

Frankly, I can't tell the difference b/t "B" and "C" -- so I haven't a clue what to put!! :)

"the runner must be tagged" means "the baseline issue doesn't apply because the fielder doesn't have the ball". imo, all three answers are just different ways of saying the same thing, so D is correct.

No. In the video, the fielder does not have the ball, so the runner can't be called out for being out of the baseline. Therefore, he must be tagged to be put out.

I don't think we have a baseline violation, which is why I'm going with "A"

I will see if I can get the video posted.