I love baseball, but I’ve never understood the rules for when you can and cannot run and steal bases.
I figure the rules have to be simple enough for the players to follow and react to instantly, but I just don’t get it.
One specific area of confusion for me is when you can safely leave the base you’re on to return to a previous base:
I remember making it to first base as a kid, the next batter got a hit that was caught, so I had to return to first base, but the outfielder tagged me with the ball on my way back to first, so I was told I was out. The exact same situation happened again a game later, so I stayed on second, and the outfielder took the ball to first and I was told I was out. It made no sense and I was so terrified of it happening a third time that I started waiting at first base to see the result of the play before I would run to second. That didn’t go over well either. I got fed up and stopped playing shortly after.
What gives?
In: Other
Both of those situations were the same: you were supposed to return to first base before getting tagged or someone getting the ball there first and you failed to do so.
If the batter hits the ball, and then a fielder catches it before it hits the ground, the batter is out and any runners on base have to “tag up.” This means they either have to stay on their current base until the ball is caught and then try to advance, or, if they had already started running to the next base before the ball was caught, they have to run back to their original base and touch it before they can attempt to advance. If the runner has started to advance to the next base before the ball is caught, and then a fielder holding the ball touches the runner’s original base before he can return to it, the runner is also out.
But none of that has anything to do with stealing bases. Stealing is something that happens in between pitches. As the pitcher starts to deliver a pitch, a runner on base can attempt to run to the next base.
A runner on base can attempt to advance without the ball being in play (stealing) only if the pitcher or catcher is in possession of the ball. If the ball is in play then another set of rules applies, and if the ball is outside the play area of the field designated by the foul lines (dead ball) no advancement is allowed.
If the ball has been hit by the batter and is in the air, no advancement is allowed unless the ball touches the ground. If the ball is caught before it touches the ground all runners have to return to their base but then can try to advance if possible.
In your situation when you advanced to second before the ball was caught, you were supposed to have been at first when the ball was caught so were out when the outfielder threw to first.
If a ball is hit by the batter, but is caught before it hits the ground (or wall) by a defensive player, the batter is just automatically out. HOWEVER, any base runners must “tag” the base they belong on *once/after* the catch is made. If the ball does hit the ground, that rule doesn’t apply and you can just run at any time.. even before the pitcher throws the ball. If you do run prematurely, you must turn around and tag your base, or they’ll try to get you out. By “tag”, I just mean touch the base, almost definitely with your foot/shoe.
So when the ball is hit but runners are not sure whether the ball is going to be caught, they stay near their base so they can “tag” the base safely and stay there, or make a run for the next base if it doesn’t get caught with some running lead advantage. If they’re sure the ball will be caught, they typically just stay on the base and don’t run until immediately after it’s caught.
If you don’t tag up, you are out simply if the defensive team can get the ball to the plate you’re supposed to be at before you return to it.. in the same sort of way that the batter tries to reach 1st base after hitting the ball, only the runner is running the other direction.
Side note: since the distance the ball has to be thrown matters to whether you can make the run, you usually only see this done if the ball is right at the edge of the field, and usually only runs from 2nd to 3rd, or 3rd home, since those are some of the longest distances involves for the ball to travel, and gives the runner the best chance.
When a ball is caught in the air, runners have to be on the bag they were on at the start of the play. So, if you’re on first, and a ball is hit in the air and caught, you have to touch first base after the ball is caught. You can be out if you are tagged or if they throw the ball back to the base you started on. You were out both times because you did not touch the base you started on after the ball was caught either time.
After the ball is caught, you are free to run if you touch the base you started on after the catch. That’s called tagging up. When you see a runner on 3rd and a ball is hit in the air, he will wait on 3rd base until it is caught, and then take off for home.
>I was so terrified of it happening a third time that I started waiting at first base to see the result of the play before I would run to second.
Generally, this is *somewhat* the correct thing to do. On first base, you generally want to stop about halfway between 1st base and 2nd base and see what happens. If the ball is caught, you go back to first; if it’s dropped, you run to 2nd. On 2nd or 3rd, you generally go back to the base and wait for it to be caught. This is because runners typically don’t tag up from 1st, but more often do from 2nd or 3rd.
An exception to all of this is when there are 2 outs. When there are 2 outs, you run on contact no matter what, because if they catch it, the inning is over.
Stealing bases is fair game at pretty much anytime, unless someone calls time. Generally it’s done as the pitcher is delivering the pitch, but runners can go at other times. Defense not paying attention, never called time, and nobody is near the next base, you are free to try to take that base. But again, if you steal, and the batter hits it in the air, you gotta go back to the base you stole from.
No one explained it to you while you sat the rest of the season on the bench after those two games? Sorry, just kidding. But the top explanation here is correct.
The simplest way I can think to explain it:
You’re only allowed to run to the next base: 1) if the ball ISN’T caught in the air; or 2) if it is caught in the air, only AFTER it’s caught. If you leave before 1) or 2) happens, the fielding team can get an “out” by throwing the ball to your original base before you get back to it.
That’s it, that’s the rule. All the rest of it is strategy in how you make decisions based on the rule.
So, the simplest strategy decisions are, if it’s a ground ball, you know you can run right away. If it’s a fly ball, though, you have to wait and see if it’s caught before you know when you can run.
That said, you can also make some educated guesses to gain a little more advantage. If a fly ball goes straight to a fielder, you might as well stay at your base, because he’ll almost certainly catch it. If it’s a fly ball into the corner of the field furthest from any fielder, you might feel safe starting early, because there’s no way anyone is going to catch it. For all other fly balls, the most common strategy is to run part of the way toward the next base while it’s in the air, but leave yourself time to get back in case the fielder catches it.
I believe the new rules stipulate that if Angel Hernandez is the umpire, once the ball if pitched outside the strike zone, all batters are out and if the ball is in play, the runners are out by default and the game ends in a double-forfeit.
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