Base out of place

[steveshane67]

I just searched the rule book for a few keywords and couldnt find anything pertaining to my question.

lets say the double 1st base is about 5' too far towards the 1B dugout, the runner hits a ball towards the gap and tries for second, only to find the base not in its expected place.

How would you handle the situation if the runner touched where the base was supposed to be but the defense appealed the non touching of 1B?

or

The runner obviously has to stop his momentum, and "stutters" to touch the base in foul territory, and is thrown out by a hair at 2nd?

The only rules I could find, which dont exactly address this sit, were 8-3-C

TOUCHING BASES IN LEGAL ORDER.

When a runner dislodges a base from its proper position, that runner and
trailing runner(s) in the same series of plays are not compelled to follow a
base out of position.

8-8-N

RUNNER IS NOT OUT

When the runner slides into a base and dislodges it from its proper position.
The base is considered to have followed the runner.

[Dholloway1962]

Originally Posted by steveshane67

I just searched the rule book for a few keywords and couldnt find anything pertaining to my question.

lets say the double 1st base is about 5' too far towards the 1B dugout, the runner hits a ball towards the gap and tries for second, only to find the base not in its expected place.

How would you handle the situation if the runner touched where the base was supposed to be but the defense appealed the non touching of 1B?

or

The runner obviously has to stop his momentum, and "stutters" to touch the base in foul territory, and is thrown out by a hair at 2nd?

The only rules I could find, which dont exactly address this sit, were 8-3-C


8-8-N

Don't think your question makes sense but here goes:

The rules about dislodged bases pertain if a base is dislodged DURING play. You wouldn't, well I hope you wouldn't, start a game or continue a game with a base 5 FEET (is that what you meant?) out of place. You would fix it before any play began, once again I hope you would!!

Now if you meant that for some reason F3 kicked the base out of place after B1 hit the ball then B1 wouldn't have to run 5 feet out of the way to touch it.

[NCASAUmp]

Originally Posted by Dholloway1962

Don't think your question makes sense but here goes:

The rules about dislodged bases pertain if a base is dislodged DURING play. You wouldn't, well I hope you wouldn't, start a game or continue a game with a base 5 FEET (is that what you meant?) out of place. You would fix it before any play began, once again I hope you would!!

Now if you meant that for some reason F3 kicked the base out of place after B1 hit the ball then B1 wouldn't have to run 5 feet out of the way to touch it.

But if you did happen to start a game with the bases in the wrong location, you simply make the correction as soon as it's noticed and play on. Sorry, guys... Blame the field crew for screwing up.

[steveshane67]

Originally Posted by Dholloway1962

Don't think your question makes sense but here goes:

The rules about dislodged bases pertain if a base is dislodged DURING play. You wouldn't, well I hope you wouldn't, start a game or continue a game with a base 5 FEET (is that what you meant?) out of place. You would fix it before any play began, once again I hope you would!!

Now if you meant that for some reason F3 kicked the base out of place after B1 hit the ball then B1 wouldn't have to run 5 feet out of the way to touch it.

I wasnt umping the game, I was playing.

The double 1B/safety bag, for whatever reason, was really far to the right, during the start of a half inning (not 1st). I dont know why thats so hard to believe, most SP softball leagues do not have "baseball" bases that arent just thrown on the ground, so they can, and do, move.

For whatever reason, the ump didnt notice it (very dusty IF, no chalked lines), neither did I (the leadoff batter that inning, I stayed at 1st), just wondering how other umps would call the 2 situations I described.

Edit, no, the 1B did not kick the base at all during the play, however it is not out of the possibilities that he moved it b4 the start of the inning.

[Dholloway1962]

Just that 5 feet out of place and no one noticed seemed kinda far fetched to me! But in your case, i guess you are stuck with the misplaced bag.

[7in60]

Originally Posted by NCASAUmp

But if you did happen to start a game with the bases in the wrong location, you simply make the correction as soon as it's noticed and play on. Sorry, guys... Blame the field crew for screwing up.

Softball Ontario rules say to move the base(s) after completing the inning. If it was 5' out I would probably ask the coaches to agree to moving the bag immediately.

In some places, you would have to be stuck with the bases, especially if they're the newer posted type. If they're not aligned on the foul line, then you need to tell the managers how you will handle foul balls hitting it, etc. If they're just plumb wrong as to the distance, then that's where my little hand garden spade in my bag comes in handy.