Double Base - Foul Territory

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by bobbrix

If I had a vote, I'd remove that foul side provision.

Why? .....

[bobbrix]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Why? .....

I haven't seen the play used, since we don't allow it ... but, if the intent is to reduce collisions, then does it achieve that goal?

It seems to me the "more skilled" players would actually use it for that purpose because they can think ahead based on at-a-glance situations, but for the younger ones it would just lead to them getting in the way more often.

I have this picture in my head of B-R barreling down to first base and F3 not paying enough attention to where B-R is headed (and vice versa) ... more and more occurrences of obstruction/interference arguments because of lazy F3's ???

After all these years we still have trouble training people on the initial rules for the double base ... now they're just adding more scenarios and thereby adding more confusion.

I'm willing to be converted!

Am I wrong?

Over ... bobbrix

[Dakota]

If you accept the premise that the double-base at first actually is useful in minimizing collisions at first (at debatable point to some on this board), then you would want the rules constructed to provide for that while minimizing (also) providing an advantage to either the offense or defense that they would not otherwise have with a single base.

If the play is coming back to the base from foul territory, and you prohibit the defense from using the orange base, then you are requiring the defensive player to cross the base path of the runner to get to the white base.

While it is true that allowing the defense in these situations to use the orange base gives them a small advantage, the judgment of the ASA rule writers must have been that the resulting safety improvement was worth it.

OTOH, in the case of allowing the defense to use the base for extra stretch room on a bad throw, this gives the defense a significant advantage.

BTW, to that end, I think the 2006 ASA changes are wrong-headed. They compromise safety for the dubious reason of dumbing down the rule to help the, well, dumb.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by Dakota

If you accept the premise that the double-base at first actually is useful in minimizing collisions at first (at debatable point to some on this board),

Hey, HEY!!! You talkin bout me? Are you talkin bout ME?

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Hey, HEY!!! You talkin bout me? Are you talkin bout ME?

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