Baseball Instruction/Force Play @3rd ???

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Expert: - 3/2/2009


Question
My understanding is that a fielder can touch/tag a base (on a force) with ANY part of BODY-While in control of ball!......My Question then,......is an Empty Glove "part of the Body"????

Answer
Patrick,

The empty glove is not part of the body for this instance.  The definition of a tag in the rulebook is:

"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."

I don't believe this means the empty glove is part of the body.

Hope this helps!

Brian

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Brian Flaspohler

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Questions about baseball rules, general information about the game, statistical analysis, questions about players, questions about Baseball records. I am a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and a lifelong baseball fanatic. Don't ask me questions about training - this is not my area of expertise.

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