Forced out at first

cjg619 · #1 (**permalink**) Sat Mar 19, 2005, 08:44pm

I need additional help on a call today. A batter hits a ball to the firstbaseman who drops the ball. The fielder picks up the ball in hand and tags the base with the glove just before the runner gets to first. The batter is ruled out. After the game a parent and I were talking about the call. After searching through the rulebook I cite, the definition of a legal tag on a base: "Once the defensive has control of the ball in the hand(s) or glove, the base may be touched with any part of the body to be a legal touch. (e.g. the defensive player could touch the base with a foot, with a hand, sit on the base, etc.)" A parent then asked where it stated that the glove was part of the body and I could find no such place. The rule book always states the glove or hand(s). Was this the correct call? If so, what other passages would apply?

Thanks

JEL · #2 (**permalink**) Sat Mar 19, 2005, 09:11pm

Is the shoe a part of the body?

If it is, a runner can not be out if F3 steps on the base, her shoe would touch, not the foot. If she sits on the base and is wearing her uniform (not "mooning" the base), her body hasn't touched the base either. I think you get the point.

As long as the hand is in the glove in your scenario, it is an out.

cjg619 · #3 (**permalink**) Sat Mar 19, 2005, 09:22pm

It is funny you say that. Those are the exact same two examples I gave!

whiskers_ump · #4 (**permalink**) Sat Mar 19, 2005, 09:31pm

Not my originial. Dakota's I think.....If the first baseperson
has a pony tail and falls with ball in hand and pony tail is on the
base, you got an out. Same as if pony tail girl is a runner and
over slides 2B, but her pony tails stays on 2B, then she is safe.

Bluefoot · #5 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 21, 2005, 08:11am

What if F3 jumps to catch an errant throw from an infielder, and in doing so, F3's foot is removed from the base. But F3's shoe is untied and the untied lace is in contact with 1B a the time F3 catches the throw, which beats B1 to 1B. Would you count that as an out?

If so, than why not have all F3's use extra-long laces in their shoes and try remain "in contact" with 1B at all times?!?

whiskers_ump · #6 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 21, 2005, 08:32am

BlueFoot,

I will put it this way, and this happened, because I was BU in this game.

Low pitch comes in towards batter, she arches body, ball (according to PU)
hits shoe string, blue calls "dead ball" and awards the batter first base.
Suprisingly - no one, not one person argued the call.

I realize this is going a litttttle far, but my first post was to attempt to
let poster know that on force out if any part of the body of the defender
touches the base while the ball is his/her possession, then you would
have an out.

Dakota · #7 (**permalink**) Mon Mar 21, 2005, 04:40pm

Quote:

Originally posted by whiskers_ump
Not my originial. Dakota's I think.....If the first baseperson
has a pony tail and falls with ball in hand and pony tail is on the
base, you got an out. Same as if pony tail girl is a runner and
over slides 2B, but her pony tails stays on 2B, then she is safe.

Actually, I got it from a clinician. It is an excellent teaching example because it is a very memorable way of making the point.