High school baseball rules question

[coastratdog]

Base runner coming home with the catcher playing up the line catches the ball to make the tag. Runner jumps over the catcher as the catcher makes the tag and the ball gets knocked out of his glove. Runner tags home. Is he out or safe. Our fhsaa ump said he was out because he cannot jump over the catcher. I think the umpire did not see the ball get knocked out of the glove and he didn't want to admit it. What is the rule?

TJC

 

[newyorkdawg]

If the runner stayed "within the base path" he is safe. The ump may be making the ruling that being airborne is out of the base path, but I believe precedent would say that he is wrong. I am sure, without looking it up, that this is accounted for in the detailed explanation of the rules.

 

[SwampDawg]

a secondary issue. Wouldn't the question really be if a runner is tagged, but the ball is then knocked out of the taggers glove, is he out or safe? Kinda like "the ground can't cause a fumble" rule in football? Logic tells me he was tagged (out) then the ball came loose.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

I have seen many a runner rounding 3rd so fast they almost ended up in the coach's lap and I have seen base runners come in completely behind the right handed batters box and head first slide by as they reach for the plate with their left hand barely touching it with their finger tips.

Regardless, whatever that ump called is forever more the ruling in that specific case.

 

[missouridawg]

but I've been wrong before too.

 

[FurnitureDog]

Cuz we have players who look like they never leave the floor.

 

[Coach34]

the rule used to state the runner has to avoid contact with the catcher. He can jump over him anytime he wants

I'm sure you can google a high school rulebook on the issue

 

[Todd4State]

and in high school, the runner was out because "you are not allowed to jump over the catcher". And I agree- it's a silly rule.

 

[drt7891]

Automatic out.

 

[madisondawg11]

I would say he's safe. He's definitely not out by tag because the ball comes loose. I've never heard of "no jumping" over the catcher, and I know on a suicide slash bunt the runner is taught to run towards the dugout from 3rd base to home in case of a line drive hit at them. So that rules out the "out of the baseline" question. I would think its bull **** you can't jump over him, because you obviously can't run over him which is another bull **** rule.

 

[Tds & Beer]

in high school or below. At least you couldn't when I was playing or when my little brother was playing. I think the general rule of "out of the baseline" means getting more than 3 feet out of line from where you would have otherwise travelled. So you can dive to the side of the base and still tag it and it's ok. You can even dive to the side and miss the base and it is ok. But you can't just jump the catcher if he has the ball in his possession. You can avoid him in order to not run over him if he doesn't have the ball. You can also bulldoze him if he doesn't have the ball, as long as you aren't just intentionally trying to run him over and see how hard you can put him on his ***.

 

[Coach34]

I've seen numerous plays involving my team as well as others over the years where a kid has jumped over a catcher's tag when he was on knees blocking the throw into home then trying to swipe tag. And none of them have ever been called out for jumping the catcher's tag

 

[madisondawg11]

I stand corrected. I just asked the President of the high school umpire association. In high school the runner is out. Different story in college however.

 

[Forrest4Moore]

<span> <span id="temp-0"><span> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vRxyv_Kk-OQ?version=3&f=videos&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" allowScriptAccess="never" height="355" width="425" ></embed>

</span></span></span>I believe this is it. May have embedded the video wrong. He was called safe.

 

[drt7891]

The premise of the rule is if the catcher is occupying the 3 foot base path with the ball, you are not allowed to jump over him, but if he's laying on the ground, he's not occupying the vertical part of the base path, therefore you can step over him or jump.

ETA: also player safety is a big consideration.

 

[Todd4State]

there's no difference in jumping over a catcher that is laying on the ground trying to tag a runner out and a catcher standing there.

It also violates the basic baseball rule of staying in the baseline and avoiding a tag and being safe. Who cares that you did a move that would have made Mary Lou Retton proud? If you pull that off, you should be safe.