Running Backwards To Avoid The Tag?

Any coach who knows what he is doing teaches the defender to step on the base. Virtually no runner steps back and it isn't worth the risk of the ball coming out of the glove, as I observed this week. Most often, the runners will have advanced to the next base prior to the batter-runner stepping back, so they hold the advanced base any way.

Umpire said:

Any coach who knows what he is doing teaches the defender to step on the base. Virtually no runner steps back and it isn't worth the risk of the ball coming out of the glove, as I observed this week. Most often, the runners will have advanced to the next base prior to the batter-runner stepping back, so they hold the advanced base any way.

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With a runner at 3rd the defense cannot afford to turn around and go back to the base, they would be giving up the run. To keep an eye on the runner they only option is to step into the 1st baseline to make the tag while keeping an eye on the runner at 3rd in case they try to advance.

CPEM said:

ASA: Rule 8, Section 2, Part H: Batter-Runner is out when the batter-runner steps back toward home plate to avoid or delay by a fielder.
EFFECT: The ball is dead and runner(s) must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference.

It is also in Rule Supplement 33, Section I.

There shouldn't be anything about runners retreating between 1B-2B, 2B-3B, and 3B-HP because if the BR is put-out first, then the force is removed and the runners can return.

Someone else will have to chime in with FED citations.

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Is this rule still enforceable? The recent Cubs game has me questioning it now.

Yes it is still the same rule, I guess MLB does not have that rule.

Fury_Mike said:

Is this rule still enforceable? The recent Cubs game has me questioning it now.

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That whole thing was so brutal...

flash277 said:

Yes it is still the same rule, I guess MLB does not have that rule.

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In baseball, the batter-runner can retreat towards but not past home.

Just happened in Kentucky vs Notre Dame. Batter runner backed up, runner out. It was one of the Sunday games.

@Comp, 3’ out of baseline? My understanding was the runner sets own basepath, as long as they follow it back they are fine. I’m thinking about between 1b and 2b, often the runner is much wider than 3’ out of the base line. Wouldn’t runner be fine going back same route they originally took? I always thought the 3’ thing was while avoiding a tag.

OBR (MLB's rule set) does not have a rule equivalent to softball's "retreat toward home."

However, on another forum I posited this ruling after the vast majority said "there is no rule":

I still have Baez out on that play. How?

A baserunner avoiding a tag cannot deviate more than three feet away from his basepath. The basepath is defined (in OBR) as a straight line between the runner and the base they are trying to safely reach. As Baez could not safely reach home, he was out of his basepath once he retreated three feet away from the tag.

Westwind said:

Just happened in Kentucky vs Notre Dame. Batter runner backed up, runner out. It was one of the Sunday games.

@Comp, 3’ out of baseline? My understanding was the runner sets own basepath, as long as they follow it back they are fine. I’m thinking about between 1b and 2b, often the runner is much wider than 3’ out of the base line. Wouldn’t runner be fine going back same route they originally took? I always thought the 3’ thing was while avoiding a tag.

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You posted while I was typing ...

NCAA baseball does have a rule ... well, sort of ... they have a note ... (Commentary: This is the carp that drives me nuts ... this "note" is a specific play and has nothing to do with the rule it is buried under.)

7.11(p)
In running the last half of the distance from home plate to first base while the ball is being fielded to first base, the batter-runner runs outside the 3-foot restraining line or inside the foul line and, in so doing, interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, except that the batter may go outside these lines to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;

Note 1: If the batter-runner is running illegally to first base and his being outside the lane alters the throw of a fielder, hinders or alters a fielder’s opportunity to field the throw, or the batter-runner is hit by the throw that has been made in an attempt to make a play, it shall be called interference and the batter-runner is to be called out.

Exception—The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot running lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base and for the sole purpose of touching first or attempting to avoid a tag. He may exit the Rule 7 / Batting 69 running lane on his last stride or step if he has been running legally within the running lane up to that point.

Note 2: The batter-runner is considered outside this 3-foot lane if either foot is outside either line.

Note 3: On a tag play between home plate and first base, a batter-runner may retreat toward home plate to evade a tag, but shall be declared out after touching or passing home plate, or leaving the base line. The ball remains live. Obstruction on a batter-runner retreating toward home plate must be intentional.

I’m really mixed up-

In softball, a runner between home and first base can’t retreat back toward home, ever.

This comes up with a runner on third. 1b fields a ground ball and moves up the line to tag runner while keeping the runner. The runner in softball can’t do what Javi did…. All they can do is stop.

The only running lane I’m aware of is the running lane approaching first.

The 3’ thing gets thrown around but the runner sets their own base path…. There aren’t many (no?) players that stay in a 36” lane rounding any base at full speed.

Would like to see some clarification from the pros on this, seems like we are fueling the rumor mill rulebook we all hate here.