Base Path (NF)
 

Rule 2.3.2

ART. 2 . . . Base Path. The traditional path traveled by a runner who is attempting to advance to the next base. It is defined by a direct line between two bases and three feet on either side of that line, unless a fielder has the ball in her possession and she is within three feet of the runner and prepared to apply a tag. A base runner who attempts to avoid a tag by running more than three feet to either side of a fielder with the ball in her possession shall be declared out.

What is the meaning or purpose of the the 2nd sentence, the conjuctive part "unless a fielder has the ball in her possession and she is within three feet of the runner and prepared to apply a tag."

Does this mean she, the runner, can not diviate avoid the tag by going outside the tag even by a 6 iniches? If the fielder has the ball, and within 3 feet of the girl playing upon her?

I think the jist of the rule is to allow the runner to have an escape distance of no more than 3ft. If she starts out already 3ft away from the tag, and is now going to extend it to 4ft or so, she can't !!.

That strikes me as just an editorially messed up definition!

In practicality, do we really define the base path as "a direct line between two bases"? Isn't it the direct line between the runner's position, wherever that might be, and the base to which she is trying to reach?

And the runner is only tied to being within three feet of that line WHEN a fielder has the ball and is attempting a tag, not UNLESS a tag is being attempted.

Huh? In simple terms, and this is true of all rule sets, if the runner deviates more than 3' away from the direct line from him/her to the base to which the runner is advancing, that runner is out. The line from one base to the other is irrelevant.

No. In practical terms, the opposite. If the runner's base path is 6' behind the baseline at the time the fielder gets the ball, AND if the fielder is then in a direct line between the runner and the next base, THEN the runner cannot deviate more than 3' from that newly established base path (a direct line to the base from that pont)..

To me this is the most misleading and unnecessary definition in the book. It's a lot easier to explain this rule if you make a distinction between baseLINE (which is what they initially describe) and basePATH (which is a direct line between the runner and the base she's trying to attain - and is established when a fielder attempts a tag on that runner).

I am having to aggree with many that it is a very poorly worded statement. the whole "unless" thing almost doesn't even need to be in there. What difference does it really make if you can't go outside the 3' if the fielder truly has the ball.

I guess it is the intent of the rule, you can't try to avoid a tag and deviate more than 3'. Now is that the torso, feet or head?