Tarp in Live Ball Territory

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

How does one "reestablish" ones self, when (before the catch) one's foot is completely in play and one foot steps completely on far side of the line? Does just lifting the foot up (before catching) do it, or does the "bad" foot have to retouch in play?

Well, talking FED, there are two Notes under rule 5-1-1i when dealing with this that, IMO, don't definitively answer your question.

" c. If a fielder has one foot in play and the other foot in the air, she legally may catch, field or throw the ball unless her entire foot contacts the ground in dead- ball territory, at which time the ball becomes dead, no play is allowed, and the penalty is applied.

" d. If a fielder contacts dead-ball territory with any part of the body except the foot, she is considered out of play. No play is allowed, and the penalty is applied. When the fielder completely leaves and then re-establishes herself within liveball territory (both feet in live-ball territory), a catch would be allowed."

So "c" says one foot in LBT, and one foot in the air is okay. But is that only okay if that foot in the air never touched DBT? Or is it also okay if it does touch DBT, and then is brought back over LBT in the air? Seems to me "c" only addresses what happens when the foot that is in the air never touched DBT to begin with.

And "d" says that in order for a fielder to re-establish herself in LBT, she needs to have both feet in LBT. But does that only apply when she completely left LBT initially? Your question involves only one foot leaving LBT and touching DBT, not both feet.

Bottom line: I'm not sure.