Tagging Up

[Guest Dave]

Does a runner tag up as soon as the ball is caught or as soon as it touches the glove 

[Velho]

As soon as it is touched runner is free to leave the base without risk of being out on appeal for leaving early.

[JonnyCat]

1 hour ago, Velho said:

As soon as it is touched runner is free to leave the base without risk of being out on appeal for leaving early.

Be careful. With such a good answer, will this thread get locked up, too?

[LRZ]

Wait, don't lock it yet! Not before someone--usually Senor Azul--cites the actual rule or interpretation!

Here, in OBR, it's 5.09(a) Catch Comment: "A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball." [My emphasis.]

In NFHS, it's 8-2-6(a)(2), stating that an appeal can be made for a runner "[l]eaving a base on a caught fly ball before the ball is first touched."

[The Man in Blue]

… and the reason the runner is released at first touch (not the completed catch)?

Outfielder Bob could “juggle” a catch all the way back to the infield before completing the catch.

[beerguy55]

39 minutes ago, The Man in Blue said:

… and the reason the runner is released at first touch (not the completed catch)?

Outfielder Bob could “juggle” a catch all the way back to the infield before completing the catch.

And I'm betting about 150 years ago somebody did exactly that...

[The Man in Blue]

Of course they did!

[BDad]

LL rule 7.08(d) NOTE: Base runners can legally retouch their base once a fair ball is touched in flight and advance at their own risk if a foul ball is caught.

Weird mix of wording but there it is.

[Senor Azul]

2022 LL RIM rule 2  A CATCH is the act of a fielder in getting secure possession in the hand or glove of a ball in flight and firmly holding it before it touches the ground providing such fielder does not use cap, protector, pocket, or any other part of the uniform in getting possession. It is not a catch, however, if simultaneously or immediately following contact with the ball, the fielder collides with a player, or with a wall, or if that fielder falls down, and as a result of such collision or falling, drops the ball. It is not a catch if a fielder touches a fly ball which then hits a member of the offensive team or an umpire and then is caught by another defensive player. If the fielder has made the catch and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the catch, the ball shall be adjudged to have been caught. In establishing the validity of the catch, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove complete control of the ball and that release of the ball is voluntary and intentional. A catch is legal if the ball is finally held by any fielder, even though juggled, or held by another fielder before it touches the ground. Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball.

INSTRUCTOR'S COMMENTS:

Runners may advance the instant the fly ball is touched by a defensive player.

[Senor Azul]

According to the book A Game of Inches by Peter Morris there were newspaper accounts of outfielders juggling fly balls in 1879. The trick play did gain some adherents throughout the 1880s. But as most things in life are interconnected so too was this action. Starting in the late 1880s and becoming almost universal in the 1890s, most players started using gloves. This made the practice of juggling the ball back into the infield too difficult. Though there are accounts of it happening it wasn’t a big problem.

In fact, the rules committee didn’t see fit to make a rule against it until 1920. Rule 56 Sec. 10 gave base runners the right to advance as soon as the ball was touched by a defender—

“A base runner who holds his base on a fly ball shall have the right to advance the moment such fly ball touches the hands of a fielder.”