Safety base

[KJUmp]

Originally Posted by Stu Clary

OK...but please cite a rule that suppoorts that.

I have been taught that the orange base is used by the batter/runner when trying the beat out a ground ball OR by the defense when the throw is coming from foul ground. I can point to specific places in the rulebook that support those two things. Otherwise, the orange/colored/foul portion of the double base is the same as dirt to me.

Maybe I'm a bonehead, but I still have safe.

Stu, hope this is enough of a citation for you as obviously mb's and Irish's detailed, rule supported, logical, and common sense based replies were not satisfactory enough for you.....

2010 ASA UMPIRE CLINIC GUIDE

Rule 2 FIELD
Double Base:Rule 2 Section 3H and Rule 8, Section 2M
The Double Base is mandatory for all divisions of play.

A) The double base will be 15 x 30 inches with half the base in fair territory and half in foul territory.

B) When using the double base, the following should be remembered:

1) When a play is being made on the batter-runner by any fielder the fielder must use the white portion (fair territory) and the batter-runner must use the contrasting color portion (foul territory) with the following exceptions:

2) On an errant throw pulling the defense into foul territory the defense can use the portion of the base in foul territory and the batter-runner can use the white portion of the base.

3) On any force out from the foul side of first base the batter-runner can use the white portion (fair territory) and the fielder can use the contrasting color portion (foul territory) of the base.

4) After the batter-runner has reached first base, BOTH the batter-runner AND the fielder can use either color of the base for ANY defensive or offensive play.

The Clinic Guide closes the section on the Double Base with this:
"Bottom line: Before the batter-runner reaches 1B and a play is being made the base is 15 in.X30 in. Once the batter-runner has reached 1B the base becomes 30 in. X 30 in."