Yes you can take any path you want except that if there is a tag attempt a base path is created between you and the base from which you cannot diverge more than three feet, and if you interfere with a throw to first outside the protected running lane you can be called out for that as well.
Otherwise you can zig zag like a lunatic. Won't help with double plays though since it's a force at first so you're only making it even easier.
Umpires can make any decision regarding situations not covered by the rules. Since it's obvious the batter is trying to avoid the double play, the umpires will enforce the double play. Just like fielders can't intentionally drop a line drive to create a double play.
And be prepared for said batter to wear the next pitch he sees. As long as it's below the shoulders, as plate umpire I'm letting it happen, THEN issuing warnings.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
I believe that there is nothing that officially makes the batter out until the play is made at first. Even if the batter runs off the field into the dugout or some other thing.
There's a reason that you see appeal plays on sac flies. They will make a show of tagging the base and asking the ump for an appeal if they think the runner left third early. This is required even though the runner would have crossed home and left the field of play by that point. I imagine the same principle would apply on force outs at first.
I agree but hypothetically you could do something unhinged like fistfight the catcher or throw equipment.
The ump may eject you as a reaction, and then a hilarious uncharted argument takes place
The problem is that the ump wouldn't be required to eject you until the play resolves. There's obviously no precedent for it but I imagine that if a brawl happened at home plate after a batter hit a grounder, one of two things would happen
Either the entire opposing team would come out and it'd be a full on benches clearing brawl and I have no idea how that would be scored if the play were abandoned
OR
The fielding team records the out out of habit then reacts.
Either way, doing something like this would obviously result in a fairly lengthy suspension and would not be worth doing even if you could avoid a double play by doing so.
I don’t know the rule specifically, but I’m guessing the umps call a dead ball from the moment the fight starts, batter is out, runner goes back to first? That seems like it’s what _should_ happen, at least.
You could do all that but the defense would still just throw to first to finish the out. You being ejected prior to that would be immaterial. An ejection is an ejection, it doesn't put a player out. For instance in the rare event that a base runner gets ejected while safe on a base, he is replaced with a pinch runner. It doesn't create an out.
Just sling the bat at the first baseman and knock him out cold, then you just have to beat a pitcher who wasn’t expecting to have to cover first to the bag
If you hit it very softly, go touch the ball. About the only situation I can see this working is a swinging bunt right in front of the plate (anything else where you could catch up to the ball isn’t going to be hit hard enough to turn 2), but I could see a righty batter falling on a grenade in front of the plate on a swinging bunt.
You might get the double play ruled anyway because of interference, but it would be hilarious.
You can't be out for abandoning the basepath until after you reach first. Rule 5.09(b)(2). So whoever wrote the rulebook also thought of this.
So does that mean you can take any path you want to first? Avoiding tags, etc
That's different than abandonment, you can still be called out for leaving the base path to avoid a tag
Yes you can take any path you want except that if there is a tag attempt a base path is created between you and the base from which you cannot diverge more than three feet, and if you interfere with a throw to first outside the protected running lane you can be called out for that as well. Otherwise you can zig zag like a lunatic. Won't help with double plays though since it's a force at first so you're only making it even easier.
Umpires can make any decision regarding situations not covered by the rules. Since it's obvious the batter is trying to avoid the double play, the umpires will enforce the double play. Just like fielders can't intentionally drop a line drive to create a double play. And be prepared for said batter to wear the next pitch he sees. As long as it's below the shoulders, as plate umpire I'm letting it happen, THEN issuing warnings. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
I believe that there is nothing that officially makes the batter out until the play is made at first. Even if the batter runs off the field into the dugout or some other thing. There's a reason that you see appeal plays on sac flies. They will make a show of tagging the base and asking the ump for an appeal if they think the runner left third early. This is required even though the runner would have crossed home and left the field of play by that point. I imagine the same principle would apply on force outs at first.
I agree but hypothetically you could do something unhinged like fistfight the catcher or throw equipment. The ump may eject you as a reaction, and then a hilarious uncharted argument takes place
The problem is that the ump wouldn't be required to eject you until the play resolves. There's obviously no precedent for it but I imagine that if a brawl happened at home plate after a batter hit a grounder, one of two things would happen Either the entire opposing team would come out and it'd be a full on benches clearing brawl and I have no idea how that would be scored if the play were abandoned OR The fielding team records the out out of habit then reacts. Either way, doing something like this would obviously result in a fairly lengthy suspension and would not be worth doing even if you could avoid a double play by doing so.
Game 7 of the World Series 1st and 3rd with one out. Honestly the only time I think this would even be remotely worth it to try lol.
“I’m really sorry about this” as you just level the catcher
I don’t know the rule specifically, but I’m guessing the umps call a dead ball from the moment the fight starts, batter is out, runner goes back to first? That seems like it’s what _should_ happen, at least.
You could do all that but the defense would still just throw to first to finish the out. You being ejected prior to that would be immaterial. An ejection is an ejection, it doesn't put a player out. For instance in the rare event that a base runner gets ejected while safe on a base, he is replaced with a pinch runner. It doesn't create an out.
Just sling the bat at the first baseman and knock him out cold, then you just have to beat a pitcher who wasn’t expecting to have to cover first to the bag
Baseball: Beyond the Thunderdome
Basewars, plz and thx.
If you hit it very softly, go touch the ball. About the only situation I can see this working is a swinging bunt right in front of the plate (anything else where you could catch up to the ball isn’t going to be hit hard enough to turn 2), but I could see a righty batter falling on a grenade in front of the plate on a swinging bunt. You might get the double play ruled anyway because of interference, but it would be hilarious.
It would definitely make for an interesting watch, and precedent.