what is your call on this play

[nealwallen]

[Runner on 3rd, stealing home. Batter hits a blooper about 15 feet toward the pitcher with lots of back spin. Runner slides into home plate with her feet clearly across home plate at the time the ball rolls back and hits her in her left side or arm, which are in fair territory. What's the call?

/I]

 

[YOCOACH]

My first thought was "Oh no...not another one!" Then I read it and thought "Hmmmm....very interesting question." Since I don't have my rulebook handy to research it, I'll be interested in the ultimate ruling...or at least a general consensus I will take a stab at it and say B/R is out. Why? The ball was not caught. However, the baserunner, being in the base path and in fair territory was touched by the ball. Since the ball never passed a defensive player who could even make a play on the ball, she is out even though she had already tagged home, I don't think tagging home comes into consideration. Of course I have a 50-50 shot of being wrong so that really means 100% with my luck

 

[canyonjoe]

I'm going to say the runner is safe because she is in contact with base. Just a guess

 

[SoCal_Dad]

"Stealing home" in FP?

I'm going to say "no call" assuming the runner didn't interfere with a fielder's opportunity to make a play on another player.

 

[CoogansBluff]

I'm guessing runner is out for being hit by ball in fair territory. Pretty confident that being on a base does not protect a runner from being hit by a batted ball. I don't think it matters if a fielder had a play. Kinda like a line drive headed to RF that hits a runner going to second, imho.

 

[Rocketech1]

I'm guessing runner is out for being hit by ball in fair territory. Pretty confident that being on a base does not protect a runner from being hit by a batted ball. I don't think it matters if a fielder had a play. Kinda like a line drive headed to RF that hits a runner going to second, imho.

I would disagree. Base runners do not have to vacate a base in order to not be hit by a ball. Same goes with a pop-up, the baserunner is not required to move off the base even though the fielder might have a play on the ball. Different than your example, where she is off the base already and the ball hits her as she is going to 2nd base.

Back to the original post, I say the base runner at home is safe since she reached home before the ball hits her in fair territory and there is no indication that she intentionally interfered with the play.

I also agree that this is not a "steal of home" but a hit and run.

 

[Eric F]

I'm guessing runner is out for being hit by ball in fair territory. Pretty confident that being on a base does not protect a runner from being hit by a batted ball. I don't think it matters if a fielder had a play. Kinda like a line drive headed to RF that hits a runner going to second, imho.

Hmm...Not sure about that one. I thought that the runner has to be off the base to be out when hit with a batted ball.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to make a guess on the OP's scenario.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

She is no longer a base runner. You got nothing.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

I'm guessing runner is out for being hit by ball in fair territory. Pretty confident that being on a base does not protect a runner from being hit by a batted ball. I don't think it matters if a fielder had a play. Kinda like a line drive headed to RF that hits a runner going to second, imho.

Speaking ASA Rule 8-7 The runner is out...

K. When a runner is struck by a fair untouched batted ball while not in contact with a base and before it passes another infielder excluding the pitcher, or if it passes an infielder and another fielder has an opportunity to make an out.

It could be interference if F9 had a chance to make an out.

I think the runner scored and so this rule governs it...

P. When after being declared out or after scoring, an offensive player interferes with a defensive player's opportunity to make a play on another runner.

 

[CoogansBluff]

Pretty confident that being on a base does not protect a runner from being hit by a batted ball.

What made me say that was the MLB umpire quiz that was making the rounds last year. I went and looked it up --

1) The Phillies have Ben Revere on second base and no outs when Michael Young hits a shot to Reds third baseman Todd Frazier, who is playing at normal depth. On the pitch, Revere attempts to steal third and is hit by the batted ball while sliding into the base. Even though Revere was on third base when struck by the batted ball, he should be called out because he interfered with Frazier and kept him from making a play. True or false?

True. With the exception of the infield fly rule, the base does not provide a sanctuary for the runner if struck by a batted ball while on it.

But now the answer to the quiz confuses me. It says the base does not provide a sanctuary for the running being struck by a batted ball. Well, that makes sense for interference, but what about just being hit by a batted ball that was going to be a base hit?