tagging without ball in glove

by James
(Edmonton)

James asked: A runner is caught in a rundown, the player with the ball in his throwing hand is chasing the runner.

The runner then tries avoiding the tag by going around the players glove hand side with the ball in his throwing hand.

The runner is tagged with the glove without the ball in the glove but in control of the ball with his throwing hand.

My local sports station says that the runner is out.

Is he safe or out because the ball was not in the glove?


Rick answered: James, thank you for your question.

The runner would be safe. That tag must be made either with the ball in the fielders bare hand, or the ball in his glove. The ball must be a part of the tag.

A Tag: A tag is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with his hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove.

It is not a tag, however, if simultaneously or immediately following his touching a base or touching a runner, the fielder drops the ball.

In establishing the validity of the tag, the fielder shall hold the ball long enough to prove that he has complete control of the ball.

If the fielder has made a tag and drops the ball while in the act of making a throw following the tag, the tag shall be adjudged to have been made.

As you look at the images above, the first is a tag where the infielder is tagging the runner with the ball in his bare hand.

The second image is a tag of the runner with the ball in the fielders glove.

The third is a force out at a base, in this case first base, where the ball is in the fielder's glove, and his foot is on the base.

That force can be completed by touching the base with his glove, with the ball in it, or his bare hand with the ball in it, or his body, as long as he has control of the ball in his hand or glove. Control of the ball is the key.


Yours in baseball,


Rick