Basepath and Tag Attempt

[Gr8Dane]

I work NFHS softball. Our rules and case book have no guidance on how to judge when a "tag attempt" has begun, and thus when the basepath is established. I don't know if NCAA has any guidance. But I did find that MLB does provide this guidance in the minor league manual:

“When determining whether a base runner should be called out under Rule 5.09(b) (1), so long as the umpire determines that a play is being made on the runner and an attempt to tag is occurring (i.e., the fielder is moving to tag the runner), no physical tag attempt is required to call a runner out for leaving the basepath."

So, that is the guidance I use. I have been in some heated discussions in other forums about this. Many umps believe that there DOES need to be a physical tag attempt, or that the fielder needs to be within tagging distance. I don't believe either of these two things be true in order to judge it a tag attempt. I think if the fielder has the ball and is moving toward the runner in a clear attempt to tag them out, a "play is being made on the runner" and thus the basepath is now established. They don't need to physically reach out.

How do you judge a tag attempt?

[Replacematt]

2 hours ago, Gr8Dane said:

I work NFHS softball. Our rules and case book have no guidance on how to judge when a "tag attempt" has begun, and thus when the basepath is established. I don't know if NCAA has any guidance. But I did find that MLB does provide this guidance in the minor league manual:

“When determining whether a base runner should be called out under Rule 5.09(b) (1), so long as the umpire determines that a play is being made on the runner and an attempt to tag is occurring (i.e., the fielder is moving to tag the runner), no physical tag attempt is required to call a runner out for leaving the basepath."

So, that is the guidance I use. I have been in some heated discussions in other forums about this. Many umps believe that there DOES need to be a physical tag attempt, or that the fielder needs to be within tagging distance. I don't believe either of these two things be true in order to judge it a tag attempt. I think if the fielder has the ball and is moving toward the runner in a clear attempt to tag them out, a "play is being made on the runner" and thus the basepath is now established. They don't need to physically reach out.

How do you judge a tag attempt?

That is what MLBUM means. That is what I use.

There is also some room for subjectivity and judgment, particularly in rundowns (if the fielder is a fair distance from the runner, are they making a tag attempt or closing the gap to throw?)

[SeeingEyeDog]

FED, batter-runner walks back towards their dugout on an U3K. The ball is at the backstop still in play. Prior to reaching the entry to their dugout, the batter-runner realizes they can legally advance to 1B, they turn and start for 1B. Meanwhile F2 now has the ball in their possession and is now moving towards the batter-runner (be it as it may that it's an unusual vector...). F2 is attempting to make a tag...the basepath has now been established. Any deviation beyond 3 feet of either side of the basepath and the batter-runner should be declared out with the common rule of thumb being "step and a reach".

~Dawg

[Velho]

3 hours ago, Gr8Dane said:

Many umps believe that there DOES need to be a physical tag attempt, or that the fielder needs to be within tagging distance.

Let's take that one out to its logical conclusion: so as long as the runner stays outside "tagging distance" there is no base path established. Do we really think a game of infinite tag was the intent when they wrote this rule over 160 years ago?

As @Replacematt said, there is room for subjectivity and judgment - which is exactly what umps need to use on these plays.