Lead off batter hits a double and is situated in second base. The next batter hits a ground ball to F5. F5 sees R2 leave second base and advance towards 3B. R2 heads back to 2B, F5 throws the ball to F4 who is covering 2B. R2 gets back to 2B but steps on the foot of F4 who tags R2 after R2 is on the foot of F4. Umpire rules that R2 is out because he didn’t touch the base as he was on the foot of F4. Is F4’s foot part of the base? Thank you
Umpire made the correct call: R2 is OUT ... The defensive player's foot is not a part of the base ... The R2 base runner was off the base and, accordingly, is out on the tag ...
So long as the fielder is in the act of receiving a throw, he has a right to be in contact with the base while making that play ... If the ball gets by him, for example, and there will be no play, then there could be an obstruction call if, in the umpire's sole judgment, the defender prevented R2's access to the bag ...
Thank you. I couldn’t find my answer in the rule book.
Randall ... Please see Rulebook page 48 ...
§8.4(9) • WHEN A RUNNER CAN BE PUT OUT
A runner can be put out:
A. If, while the ball is in play, a runner is not touching the base.
Randall, it is most likely an out. Dave said it much more academically which I appreciate. The only way in normal circumstances that the runner is safe is if the runner’s foot is clearly touching some part of the bag when tagged. A fielder wearing a size 5 cleat is going to have great difficulty completely blocking a size 13 cleat from touching the base.
