tag up rule

[Cannonball]

Had the flyball to right, touched, dropped and caught. Runners on 3rd and 2nd. Sent both home to score. Then, all heck broke loose. My players know the rules. Umpires did not. Double Play. Was I ever mad.

 

[Comp]

Had the flyball to right, touched, dropped and caught. Runners on 3rd and 2nd. Sent both home to score. Then, all heck broke loose. My players know the rules. Umpires did not. Double Play. Was I ever mad.

Did you protest the call?

 

[Cannonball]

High school game and no, didn't protest. We just went ahead and won anyway. BTW, incrediable effort by their CF to get to RF to catch bounce off glove, hand, ...

 

[T.J.]

I'm curious as to why you think this would be any different than the correct answer you have already been given?

Humpty makes a good point.

Because by definition a "fly ball" and a "line drive" are different (and are separately defined in the rules).

As someone posted...Rule 84E says when a fly ball is first touched... It does not say when a fly ball or a line drive are first touched.

 

[MTR]

Humpty makes a good point.

Because by definition a "fly ball" and a "line drive" are different (and are separately defined in the rules).

As someone posted...Rule 84E says when a fly ball is first touched... It does not say when a fly ball or a line drive are first touched.

So, a player does NOT have to tag up on a caught line drive? If you think they do, please cite the rule.

 

[crystlemc]

Line drive and fly ball both referred to balls batted into the air. Just one is hit straighter than the other. I don't see how that would change the rule. A line drive is still a fly ball, just like a hard bounce is still a ground ball...

 

[T.J.]

So, a player does NOT have to tag up on a caught line drive? If you think they do, please cite the rule.

After reading deeper in the rules…Yes MTR, the batter needs to tag up on line drives…but may leave when the ball is first touched on fly balls and/or line drives.

Here are the rules as written in the books:

USSSA

RULE 8 BASE RUNNING

Section 7 A Runner may advance with the liability to be put out.

Part D. If a batted ball (fair or foul other than a foul tip) is caught, the initial contact of the ball by a fielder releases the runner(s) from the base(s) occupied at the time of the pitch.

[In other words, base runners may leave her base once the batted ball is touched by a fielder; she does not have to wait for the batted ball to be legally caught.]




ASA

RULE 8 BATTER-RUNNER AND RUNNER

Section 4 RUNNERS ARE ENTITLED TO ADVANCE WITH THE LIABILITY TO BE PUT OUT.

Part E. When a legally caught fly ball is first touched by any defensive player.

[In other words same thing…base runner may leave her base once a fly ball is touched by a fielder; she does not have to wait for the fly ball to be legally caught.]

Section 7.F The runner is out when the runner leaves a base to advance to another base before a caught fly ball has touched a fielder…..

[In other words, Yes, the runner must tag on fly balls]

Both ASA & USSSA have definitions for “fly ball” and “line drive”.

The above USSSA rule does not differentiate between a caught fly ball and a caught line drive; it simply says the initial contact of a “batted ball” (which includes both fly balls and line drives).

The above ASA rules specify when a “fly ball” is caught, or when a “fly ball” is first touched. By ASA definitions a fly ball is a ball batted in the air, and a “line drive” is a “fly ball batted sharply and directly”...so in ASA a line drive is actually a type of fly ball.

Humpty’s question was can a runner leave when a line drive is touched and not yet caught. My interpretation of the rules are yes…Line Drives and Fly Balls are treated the same in this situation.

 

[MTR]

The only reason there is a need to define a line drive is because it is used as an exclusion for the infield fly and intentionally dropped ball rules.

 

[T.J.]

The only reason there is a need to define a line drive is because it is used as an exclusion for the infield fly and intentionally dropped ball rules.

Yeah, I picked up on that in my readings...it's all good, thanks.