Can defense make play after leaving field ?

[DUNDALKCHOPPER]

I had a third strike dropped situation where the batter headed for bench after striking out. Her coach told her to run the bases-which she did. The ball was on the mound. So I was wondering if a defensive player would have been allowed to run back out on the field, pick up the ball, and make a play on the runner ?

[x-tremeump]

Htbt,

[tcannizzo]

Mike, take this one (or these two)....

[LIUmp]

Originally Posted by DUNDALKCHOPPER

I had a third strike dropped situation where the batter headed for bench after striking out. Her coach told her to run the bases-which she did. The ball was on the mound. So I was wondering if a defensive player would have been allowed to run back out on the field, pick up the ball, and make a play on the runner ?

Sounds like you may have bigger problems. For starters, if the field she's playing on has a mound, I'd tell her she's on the wrong field. If not, how did the ball end up on the baseball mound to begin with???????

[EsqUmp]

Yes, the defense can come back out. The prohibition against players coming back onto the field generally apply to: 1) an offensive player who steps into dead ball territory; and 2) the defense with respect to an appeal after the third out of the inning.

Logically speaking, to prohibit the defense from coming out to make a play would mean to allow the batter-runner to run without liability to be put out and ultimately score.

[Andy]

Well, it looks like I missed something there....

To answer the original question....That's still a live ball, so why wouldn't the defense have the opportunity to come back on the field and make a play?

[DUNDALKCHOPPER]

Andy- I was just looking for some consistant basis for my inquiry. If the offense can't come back out, why allow the defense ?

[RKBUmp]

Because the the rules say the offensive player is out for entering the dugout. There is no rule about the defense leaving the field, other than to appeal a play.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by DUNDALKCHOPPER

Andy- I was just looking for some consistant basis for my inquiry. If the offense can't come back out, why allow the defense ?

It's not that "the offense can't come back out", but rather it is that they are all out, so there is no one to come back!

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by DUNDALKCHOPPER

I had a third strike dropped situation where the batter headed for bench after striking out. Her coach told her to run the bases-which she did. The ball was on the mound. So I was wondering if a defensive player would have been allowed to run back out on the field, pick up the ball, and make a play on the runner ?

Assuming you mean the circle, of COURSE the defense can come back onto the field during a LIVE ball and make a play.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by DUNDALKCHOPPER

Andy- I was just looking for some consistant basis for my inquiry. If the offense can't come back out, why allow the defense ?

Regarding the offense you have to have SOME line to draw to define when the offensive player is no longer trying to advance. In some codes of baseball on a D3K, that line is the dirt circle around the plate. In softball, it's the dugout. Having some sort of parallel rule for the defense is meaningless and irrelevant. You're looking for consistency where none is necessary.