Another odd baseball rules question.
 

In the A's-Giant game Saturday there was a play where an A's player was caught in a rundown between 3rd and home. He successfully got hung up enough for the guys on 1st and 2nd to advance before getting tagged out. Standard.

I noticed though that the guy who eventually tagged him out had the ball in his hand but tagged him with the glove. He did this so he could get a tag on and perhaps make a throw quickly if needed. There was no dispute as to whether the runner was out. It was clear he had done his job by giving his teammates a chance to move up and quietly left the field.

But it made me wonder if the rules say you have to tag with the ball in your glove, or if it is not in the glove, with the ball itself. In this play, the guy certainly had reason to take with the empty glove so he could quickly throw if necessary. In a more meaningful play/situation I could see an argument if the rules say you must tag with the ball in the glove.

KJS

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

I did not see the play.

Are you sure that the ball was not in his bare hand and the bare hand in the glove when the runner was tagged? (the proper protocol for a rundown)

If he was tagged with an empty glove he is not out by the letter of the rulebook. Did you notice if the umpire called the runner out or if he simply made no hand signal after the tag?

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

The way you described it, the runner should not be out.

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

[ QUOTE ]
I did not see the play.

Are you sure that the ball was not in his bare hand and the bare hand in the glove when the runner was tagged? (the proper protocol for a rundown)

If he was tagged with an empty glove he is not out by the letter of the rulebook. Did you notice if the umpire called the runner out or if he simply made no hand signal after the tag?

[/ QUOTE ]

Then you'll also agree that on double plays, the thrower has to bend down and touch the bag with his glove which has the ball inside it?

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

No because this isn't a forceout

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

A rundown isn't the same as a force play.

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

In the other rules question thread recently there was a link to odd baseball rules questions, and I thought I remembered one of them to be about this subject.

If I'm wrong, then my bad.

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

Without having seen this, there is a decent chance that the umpire did not actually call the guy out, but the runner (like a lot of players) has no idea what the actual rules are and just dutifully walked off the field. Once he leaves play he's out. I just don't see an ump missing a call as obvious as the one described in the OP. Definitely not unheard of for guys who were never called out to leave the field though. Its not the umps job to call "safe" or to let him know he isn't out.

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

[ QUOTE ]

Then you'll also agree that on double plays, the thrower has to bend down and touch the bag with his glove which has the ball inside it?

[/ QUOTE ]

http://eddddie.googlepages.com/facepalm.jpg

Re: Another odd baseball rules question.
 

random story that proves you have to tag the player with the ball. i've also seen this happen in blooper videos a couple of times, but cannot find the clips.