In Baseball, when you have a runner on a base, and less than 2 outs, and the hitter hits a very high and long flyball, why does the runner on base not advance to the next base – They Look Like they’re contemplating, but never go even If there is plenty of time?

Question

When the hitter hits the ball high and long for a fly out.
Why does the runner not run to the next base?

In: 2

Answer 1

If the ball is caught, the runner has to touch the base he started on before the pitch was thrown. If the ball is thrown back before he gets there he can also be called out.

Example: long high flyball and the runner goes from first to third; the ball is caught. If the ball reaches first base before the runner gets back, it’s now 2 outs instead of 1.

Staying close to base allows you to tag the base and then try to run to the next one before the ball gets there. Or at least stay and not be called out.