Question on safety bag

[pbj2000]

I have a question. I a batter lays down a bunt, does she HAVE to run to the orange bag? I had an ump tell me she had to run to the orange (safety) bag, if there was no attempt to turn and run to 2nd base.

please advise

[Comp]

If the batter/runner is running straight through the bag, they are suppose to use the safety bag.

[SoCalASABlue]

If she's not in the marked running lane and gets hit with the throw, I have an out on the BR.

[pbj2000]

Ok, I know i'm asking "what if" scenarios so any response is appreciated. What if batter is slapper, slaps the ball (initial out of the box is towards the pitcher) and then runs for the bag. Since she is a lefty and a slapper she is not in foul territory or not in the batters runner lane. Ball is thrown from 3rd or catch and hits her in the back...how do you call that? If you call her out based on the batters runner lane, then what about her lane to the bag? Also what would prevent everyone from throwing and hitting the runner when she's not in the lane and she's on the line?

Just curious...my dd is a slapper.

[prettymuch]

With Spazdad's scenario of the 1st baseman using the "ORANGE" bag. Who or what determines the actual ownership of the "White" or "Orange" bag at that moment. First to the bag? The other has to hit the other bag or they're out? Or they can both use the same bag being a close play?

[tcannizzo]

As S-dad wrote, if the throw is coming from foul territory, F3 MAY use the orange portion of the bag. If F3 does use the orange portion in this case, then BR MUST go white, otherwise F3 MUST use white.
In any event, BR had better use the 3ft running lane regardless of where the throw is coming from.

[MTR]

I have a question. I a batter lays down a bunt, does she HAVE to run to the orange bag? I had an ump tell me she had to run to the orange (safety) bag, if there was no attempt to turn and run to 2nd base.

please advise

If there is a play on the BR at 1B, from fair side of the 1BL, the runner must use the colored portion of 1B. If the play is coming from foul territory on the 1B side, the runner may use either base.

In a completely separate rule, if the BR interferes with a defender receiving a throw at 1B, the runner is out if not within the 3' lane. Being hit with a thrown ball is not the rule and does not determine the out.

[UmpSteve]

To put everything in one answer:

On any play on the batter-runner at first base (albeit not exactly a force play), that BR is required to use the colored bag and the fielder the white bag. If the BR fails to touch the proper bag, it is a live ball appeal that must be made by the defense (same as MISSING the base) by a defensive player in possession of the ball tagging either the base or the runner before that runner returns to first.

If there is no play at first, the batter-runner may touch either base.

On a play coming from the foul side of first (dropped 3K, or booted into foul by defense, even if coming from the outfield), either the defender OR the batter-runner may choose which bag to use. The closeness of play isn't a factor; if play is from fair territory, the bags are assigned, if play is from foul territory, either side can choose either bag (and the running lane then becomes 6', being 3' on either side of the foul line).

If an errant throw from fair territory draws the defensive player off (BOTH bags) and completely in to foul territory, the defense may then use the nearer bag in return to the base. If the errant throw simply takes the defense to the wrong bag, the defense is simply off the base.

Once the batter-runner has passed first base (and is now a runner), either base may be used by both the offense, and defense; it then becomes one double sized base.

As to the second point asking about slappers, the simple fact is that there are no special rules that slappers get different treatment because they choose a different hitting style. The running lane rules apply to all batter-runners that interfere with the defenders opportunity to make a play at first base; and all interference rules apply to slappers out of the batters box if the slapper interferes with a play being attempted by the catcher. That the slapper chooses that hitting style is at risk of violating any other rule, just as a catcher risks causing catcher's obstruction if she chooses to move up into the hitting area between the batter's boxes.

[PDad]

If an errant throw from fair territory draws the defensive player off (BOTH bags) and completely in to foul territory, the defense may then use the nearer bag in return to the base. If the errant throw simply takes the defense to the wrong bag, the defense is simply off the base.

Is this really the way ASA 8.2.M.5 works? I thought the defense could use the safety bag whenever the throw takes them to foul territory.

[tcannizzo]

Is this really the way ASA 8.2.M.5 works? I thought the defense could use the safety bag whenever the throw takes them to foul territory.

As Steve said, once BR has touched 1B, both the offense and the defense may use either portion of the base. In Southern-terms it becomes a double-wide.

Especially comes into play on live ball appeals, when R is trying to return to base to tag on a fly ball and a throw is coming from OF.