Can you please help me with this call? I was umpiring a game last night, high school rules.


Batter hit a slow roller fair up the line... he is running with his right foot in the lane, and his left foot partially on the line, and partially in fair territory... the throw to first hits him.

Is he "in the running lane"? Can someone tell me when you are in or out of the lane - technically.

I did not call him out.

8-4-1-g "The batter is considered outside the running lane lines if either foot is outside the line"

" right foot in the lane, and his left foot partially on the line, and partially in fair territory... the throw to first hits him.

Is he "in the running lane"? Can someone tell me when you are in or out of the lane - technically.

I did not call him out."

Sounds perfect. On or inside..

From OBR;
6.5
(k) In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three-foot line or inside (to the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;
Rule 6.05(k) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.

The way you describe it, I think you missed one. One foot in fair territory is definitely out of the running lane and is a violation IF:

1. The batter is more than half way to 1st base. The running lane doesn't exist before the 45 foot line.

2. The batter actually interfered with F3's ability to catch the throw (i.e., it must be a "quality" throw with a chance to retire the runner) or (in HS) he interfered with the throw itself.

quote:

Originally posted by dash_riprock:
The way you describe it, I think you missed one. One foot in fair territory is definitely out of the running lane and is a violation IF:

1. The batter is more than half way to 1st base. The running lane doesn't exist before the 45 foot line.

2. The batter actually interfered with F3's ability to catch the throw (i.e., it must be a "quality" throw with a chance to retire the runner) or (in HS) he interfered with the throw itself.

Doesn't the left foot touching the line,even if part of it was in fair territory,still have him in the correct base line?

Yes, his foot can be on the line (which is fair ground). If any part of his foot is to the left of the foul line, he is out of the running lane. Thanks for the clarification.

quote:

Originally posted by tfox:

Doesn't the left foot touching the line,even if part of it was in fair territory,still have him in the correct base line?

No. If any part of his foot in on the fair side of the line, he is out of the running lane.

quote:

and partially in fair

Yes, sorry, I read "partially on the line".

On the line is okay, "any portion out" is not okay, unless to touch the bag.

That doesn't seem consistent with the batters box rule, where the entire foot needs to be outside the box when the batter makes contact with the ball to be called out?

Yes, but it is consistent with: If any part of the ball is in fair territory at the moment it is to be judged fair/foul, it is fair. Or if any part of the ball is in the strike zone, it's a strike.

Actually, it doesn't matter whether the rule is consistent with other rules or not. The running lane itself is arbritrarly positioned-- it would probably have made more sense to have required the runner to be in foul territory. As it is, the width of the "3 foot lane" is really 3 feet plus the width of the foul line.

quote:

Originally posted by bokes:
That doesn't seem consistent with the batters box rule, where the entire foot needs to be outside the box when the batter makes contact with the ball to be called out?

How about the batter's box rule prior to a pitch? The enitire foot needs to be in the box.

Consistency among different rules is not a concern. Afterall, why THREE strikes for an out, but FOUR balls for a walk?

The running lane rule was initiated back when first base was centered on the base line. It provided half the bag to the runner and half the bag to the fielder. When the bag was moved, the running lane remained the same.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:

The running lane rule was initiated back when first base was centered on the base line. It provided half the bag to the runner and half the bag to the fielder. When the bag was moved, the running lane remained the same.

More good stuff from Jim Evans (at least that's where I learned it).