runner is safe

by pAUL
(sARNIA, ont, cAN)

Paul asked: A BATTER HITS A BALL TO SHORTSTOP WHO OVERTHROWS FIRST BASE.

THE BALL DOES NOT GO OUT OF PLAY.

THE RUNNER ATTEMPTS TO REACH 2ND BASE.

THE CATCHER FIELDS THE BALL AN THROWS TO 2ND .

UMPIRE CALLED RUNNER OUT AS A FORCE. MY THOUGHT IS THAT THE RUNNER SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAGGED OUT. NOT DONE ...

HE IS SAFE, CORRECT?


Rick answered: Paul, thank you for your question.

You are correct, the runner had to be tagged, there is no force created.

The runner was, the batter-runner. No one forced him off of first base, he went on his own, on the overthrow.

To get the out, the defense has to make a tag on the runner, to record the out.

I am guessing that call created quite a discussion
in real time. Hopefully, the umpire making the call asked for help from his partner, and they got it corrected.


Yours in baseball,


Rick