No Safety Base

[quincy]

Game this weekend the batter bunted the ball; C scooped it up and hit the batter running to 1st. Runner was safe even though she ran the entire way inside the field of play. I am thinking a bad call by the ump or they saw it differently.

We have always played with a safety base and I think I understand the rule with it but am confused what the rule is without a safety base.

Without a safety base is the runner supposed to run in her lane then stick her foot out to hit the base?

 

[JAD]

A safety base is used to help prevent collisions at 1B between the base runner and the fielders. The base running rules do not change with or without the safety bag. The runner is supposed to have both feet inside the first base running lane, which starts half way down the 1st base line. If a base runner is outside the running lane and is hit by a throw or impedes a throw, interference should be called by the home plate umpire and the base runner is out.

 

[quincy]

The running lane needs to stop at some point,

With a safty base it goes thru the base

Without a safty base the runner needs to veer back into the bag?

 

[Comp]

Runner being out of the lane and getting hit by the ball is not necessarily an automatic out. First off, where was the batter/runner hit? The running lane doesnt start until 30' down the line. Also, was it a quality throw? Or did the catcher possibly just bean the runner thinking she had an easy out by hitting her?

As for there being no safety base, the batter/runner doesnt have to veer anywhere to touch the base. They only need to touch the corner of it, and the corner is on the edge of the running lane.

 

[Ajaywill]

A safety base is used to help prevent collisions at 1B between the base runner and the fielders. The base running rules do not change with or without the safety bag. The runner is supposed to have both feet inside the first base running lane, which starts half way down the 1st base line. If a base runner is outside the running lane and is hit by a throw or impedes a throw, interference should be called by the home plate umpire and the base runner is out.

This is not the rule. The rule states it is interference if the batter-runner is out of the running lane and "interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base". It has to be a quality throw that the fielder at first base has a chance to catch.

Also - if a batter-runner is near or straddling the line while running to first and is hit in part of her body that is within the running lane, it is not interference. This is the ASA rule interpretation.

 

[JAD]

This is not the rule. The rule states it is interference if the batter-runner is out of the running lane and "interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base". It has to be a quality throw that the fielder at first base has a chance to catch.

Also - if a batter-runner is near or straddling the line while running to first and is hit in part of her body that is within the running lane, it is not interference. This is the ASA rule interpretation.

It does not have to be a quality throw if, in the umpires judgement, the base runner was out of the running lane and impeded the throw of the fielder. Also, the runner is suppose to have both feet inside the running lane, so 'straddling' the line can still be considered interference, but it is up to the umpire. If the baserunner is hit with the ball while she is in the running lane, the ball is still live and the runner is not out. One time at 10U we had a baserunner get "drilled" in the back while running to first while inside the running lane. She dropped like a sack of potatoes and started crying, the first baseman picked up the ball and tagged her out.

 

[BretMan]

It does not have to be a quality throw if, in the umpires judgement, the base runner was out of the running lane and impeded the throw of the fielder.

That's not really the judgment the umpire is supposed to be making.

As the rule states, the batter-runner must interfere with the fielder taking the throw to be called out. That's where the concept of a "quality throw" comes in.

A "quality throw" is one directed TO the fielder taking it at first base, with a reasonable expectation that the throw is actually catchable and thus capable of recording an out.

If the throw is obviously not in the direction and vicinity of the fielder taking it (ie: a non-quality throw), then it's not interference if it hits the batter-runner. If the throw was grossly off-line, or not catchable, then it's impossible to say that the fielder taking the throw was interfered with- because that fielder would not have been able to "take the throw" in the first place.