1st baseman is thrown the ball and must reach across the orange safety bag in order to catch or get the ball, batter-runner can no longer run straight through and has no access to the bag. What is the call?
Can the first baseman tag the runner while standing on the white and batter runner is running through the orange? It just seems to defete the safety bag and is unneccessary as the batter-runner is already out. What is the call?

There is no safety in the "safety" base.
 

Â*http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/ranton.gif
In ASA, the rule (2.3.H-1(c)) states that "on an errant throw pulling the defense into foul ground, the defense and the batter-runner may use either the white or the colored base."

That statement alone, IMHO, negates the entire usefulness of the double base. This scenario is usually the main reason for collisions at first base anyway and the double base does nothing to prevent this situation.

On a routine play at first, with well-coached players, a 15 inch should provide plenty of room for both players to do what they need to do without bodily contact. First basepersons should be coached to put their foot along the inside edge of the base, which at a minimum should leave at least 12 inches for the BR to plunk their size 15EEE (about 5 inches wide) on the base. It's the poorly coached players who stand with their foot right in the middle of the base that cause the problem, for those teams (and their opponents) the double base "crutch" will probably save a few ankles on the routine plays, but it still won't prevent the crashes caused by poor throws.
Â*http://www.stopstart.fsnet.co.uk/mica/rantoff.gif

SamC

Re: There is no safety in the
 

Damn, Sam, what are you doing up on my soapbox?

Don't worry, I'll get another one and we can have a double-soapbox. :)

I couldn't agree with you more and have been saying so from Delaware to OK. As long as they are going to allow the defense ANY access to the colored portion of the bag for a throw from the left side of the 1st base/right field line, the bag is a waste of time, money and space in the rule book.

I feel the double first base should be used at the lower level (like 10 and under) only. At those levels, when there is a close play at first, a lot of runners usually slow down or don't overrun first base because they feel they may colide. The orange part of the base is now a teaching tool that makes it more comfortable to overrun first.

Sam,

I love the little 'RANT' switch, it's cool!

Elaine