Collision at First Base

[RKBUmp]

Originally Posted by Manny A

I would argue she didn't. And I would call Safe on this play. If you argue that she did have control the instant she touched the base with the ball in her glove, you would never have a Safe call when a fielder tags a runner and then loses the ball during the tag.

To me, you must maintain control after the tag of the base or the runner. I don't read anything different in the definition of Tag between tagging the base or tagging the runner.

And I would agree with you, if you did call the out on this play you will have an offensive coach headed for the parking lot. But, as I said this was presented at the ASA national school by one of the members of the national staff. As I recall their statement was the requirements for the physical tag of a runner and the tag of a base were not the same. For purposes of tagging the base as long as the fielder had demonstrated control prior to tagging the base, the out occured the instant the glove touched the base and the ball was lost after the out occured.