Base runner and force out

[Guest Sean Polreis]

Hello;

 

An interesting scenario happened in our ball game last night.  Runner on 1st - ground ball to 1st baseman.  Runner left 1st but then went back to the base as the fielder gathered the ball.  Fielder touched 1st base thus making the batter out.  Normally when this happens the runner needs to be tagged and is usually going to 2nd (but could technically go back to 1st since the base is open after the fielder touches it making the batter out).  However, in this case the runner was actually on 1st base when it was touched by the fielder.  Is the runner then "safe" at 1st as it is an open base or is there a rule that he cannot be standing on 1st at all - is he considered illegally occupying 1st base?  Thanks.

[grayhawk]

Batter out and R1 is safe.  F3 needed to tag R1 first (whether R1 was touching the bag or not) and then step on the base to get the double play.

 

By stepping on the base first, he removed the force on R1.

[JaxRolo]

Agree. R1 safe.

[maven]

Is the runner then "safe" at 1st as it is an open base or is there a rule that he cannot be standing on 1st at all - is he considered illegally occupying 1st base?  Thanks.

No, R1 is not illegally occupying 1B after the batter hits a ground ball, at least not in the sense that he's committing an infraction. OTOH he is not entitled to the base, because he is forced to advance by the batter becoming a runner (force play).

 

Umpires need to be deliberate and understand what's happening here, so that they don't put runners at a disadvantage.

[Jocko]

I will add that had F3 tagged R1 before stepping on the base, R1 is out EVEN IF HE'S ON THE BASE. He lost his right to occupy the base when the batter became a batter-runner. The very definition of a "Force"

[afaber12]

Had one like this a while back. Shallow bloop falls right behind the line from 1st to 2nd. R1 is tagged up. F3 who was holding R1 on is all but on the base and has turned to face F9, apparently thinking it was a fair bit deeper than it was. Ball must've just missed the brim of F3's hat as it comes down. Picks up the ball, tags R1 and then steps on 1st. Turned a complete misread into the easiest double play I've ever seen.