When the runner doesn't properly 'tag-up' after the fly ball is caught. In baseball, to tag up is for a baserunner to retouch or remain on their starting base (the time-of-pitch base) until (after) the ball either lands in fair territory or is first touched by a fielder. By rule, baserunners must tag up when a fly ball is caught in flight by a fielder. After a legal tag up, runners are free to attempt to advance, even if the ball was caught in foul territory. On long fly ball outs, runners can often gain a base; when a runner scores by these means, this is called a sacrifice fly. On short fly balls, runners seldom attempt to advance after tagging up, due to the high risk of being thrown out. When a base runner fails to tag up on a caught fly ball (for instance, if they started running too early, thinking the ball wouldn't be caught), they may be "doubled off", which results in them being called out. To double a runner off, a fielder must touch the runner's starting base while in possession of the ball before the runner returns to the base. If the baserunner appeared to tag up, but a fielder suspects the baserunner may have left the base too early (thus failing to legally tag up), the fielder may attempt to double the runner off by touching the runner's starting base while controlling the ball, before the next pitch is thrown. This is considered a type of appeal play. If the umpire agrees that the runner did not retouch after the ball was touched by a fielder, the umpire will call the runner out, and anything else the runner did during the play (such as score a run) is negated. Doubling a runner off is considered a "time play" (as opposed to a force play), which means that even if the doubling-off is the third out of an inning, any runs which score before the double-off will count (unless the run was scored by the same runner that was doubled off, in which case the run will not count in any situation).
It all depends on what type of kickball you are playing. In traditional kickball you don't even have to touch the ball. As long as the ball touches the runner, the runner is out. Even if the "kicker" kicks the ball at a runner that is not on a base, the runner is out. There are different kinds of rules about this type of situation that can be adjusted to your liking
In general: If the ball is caught before it hits the ground, the runners cannot advance from the bases they are on until the moment the catch is made. If they are off the base at that moment, they must return to "tag up", then may proceed to the next base. But, the ball is still live, and the runner has to beat the throw and/or avoid the tag. Note, if the runner is caught waaaaayyyyyy off the his original base, he can be put out at his original base, on a FORCE play (the fielder need only touch the base, with the ball in his possession, before the runner touches it). But if he successfully tags up and is headed for the next base, or back to his original base, the play must be a non-force play (the fielder must "tag" the runner, i.e., touch the runner with his glove, with the ball inside it, before he reaches either base. If the ball is NOT caught in the air, everything proceeds the same way as if the ball was a grounder. This can be bad for the runner because, if he's EXPECTING the ball to be caught, he has to hang around on or close to his original base until the fielder misses the ball. This greatly reduces the amount of time he has left to make it to the next base. And if he's on first, or if he's on any other base but all the bases behind him are full, he HAS to go to the next base.Note that, if there are two outs before the fly ball is hit, the runners need not "tag up", because, if the ball is caught, the inning is over anyway, and if the ball is not caught, it's the same as a ground ball. Somewhere back in the history of baseball, a clever fielder figured out that, if there were multiple runners on base in a "force-out" situation (for example, first and second), and less than two outs, and a pop-up was hit to somewhere on the infield, the fielder could INTENTIONALLY MISS THE CATCH, then pick up the ball and get a double play fairly easily, because all the runners had to hold up to see if the ball would be caught. That was why baseball came up with... The Infield Fly Rule. If there are runners on first and second, and less than two outs, and a fly ball is hit in such a manner that it is catchable by an infielder, the umpire calls the rule into effect, loudly informing all players while the ball is still in the air. The batter is automatically out, wether the ball is caught or not. This removes the force condition on the two runners and prevents the fielder from turning an easy double play. If the ball is caught, runners may still tag up and proceed to the next base (though they are very unlikely to make it, given that the ball is already in or near the infield). If the ball is not caught, it is considered the same as the batter grounding out, and runners can advance if they choose, without tagging up, but they don't have to (and, once again, they're not likely to make it if they try, because the ball is already in or near the infield). Usually, what happens is that, as soon as the umpire determines that the rule is in effect, and alerts the players, the runners go back to their original bases and sit tight. Though he doesn't have to, the fielder ALMOST ALWAYS catches the ball, either as a matter of pride, or because it's easier than bending over to retrieve a ball on the ground. The runners make no attempt to advance, and the fielder throws the ball back to the pitcher, which ends the play. The resulting situation is exactly the same as it was before, except that there is one more out on the scoreboard, and a new batter is up with an empty count. -----For a base runner to advance on a caught fly ball, the runner must be in contact with the base he/she was occupying at the time of the pitched ball when the catch is made. Once the catch is made the runner may attempt to advance. If the runner attempts to advance before the fly ball is caught and is ruled to have advanced to the next base safely, the defensive team may make an appeal to the umpires that the runner left the base before the catch was made. This appeal must be the first order of business after the play and is made by:1) The defensive team notifying the umpires of their intent to appeal.2) The pitcher taking his normal stance on the pitching rubber with the ball.3) The pitcher steps off the rubber and throws to a fielder who is in contact with the base that the runner left too early.If the umpires disallow the appeal, the runner stays at the base he/she currently occupies. If the umpires allow the appeal, the runner is out. If this out is the third out and the runner who was called out by the appeal had scored, the run is disallowed. If this out is the third out and a runner who was ahead of the runner called out by the appeal had scored, the run is allowed.It is not the umpire's responsibiity to make this call. This appeal must be made by the defensive team.
Yes. The act of taking a step away from the base keeps a pitcher thinking about you. You, the baserunner, are helping to distract the pitcher, making it harder for him to concentrate on the batter.
No. But this rule does not come into effect until AFTER the force out at first base occurs. In other words, until that force out at first happens, the runner who was on first must advance. But AFTER the force out occurs, the runner who was on first need not do so. If a first baseman steps on first and then immediately fires to second base, the person covering second base must tag out the runner coming towards second base. I've seen twenty-year veterans of MLB forget this -- they take the throw from the first baseman after a force out at first base, step on second base, and then walk away without tagging the runner.
The fielder has to have the ball in his possession but if he drops it he doesn't have to tag up. Actually, the fielder doe NOT have to have possession of the ball for a base runner to tag up and advance. Once the runner is on the base ("tagging up") he may advance as soon as the fielder touches the ball, whether he has possession or not. In other words, the base runner may advance even if the fielder is bobbling the ball and then catches it, i. e. has possession.
First, the runner is only out if the fielder has not had a chance at the ball yet. If the ball goes through the 2nd baseman's legs and hits the runner, it's still a live ball. The out is credited to the defensive player closest to the ball when the ball hit the baserunner. For example, if the runner was on third base, more than likely the third baseman would get the unassisted putout. By the way... this example should never happen. Baserunners are taught to lead off third base in foul territory. But it does happen every now and then. Even in the majors.
Sure. The runner on 3rd base can tag up and score. The runner on 2nd may not even be able to advance to 3rd base, especially if the fly ball is to left field. To further clarify..a base runner may not pass another base runner who is ahead of him..so, if your question means can a runner on 2nd or 1st, tag up and score if the runner on third doesn't, the simple answer is no...however, in a rare case they could. Let's assume that the runner on third tags up, but is thrown out at home and it is not the 3rd out of the inning, then the catcher either throws the ball away, or otherwise loses the ball, the other runner or runners may then advance and score. The batter, though, is not credited with a Sacrifice Fly, nor an RBI.
I believe this did happen, pretty much exactly as described below. I hear about it while listening to a Giants game probably in the '70s. I think it was in Yakama WA in the minors. I was searching for that when I came across this. Here's how it would have to happen, and it would have to happen EXACTLY this way, because of a few stipulations in the rule book. There'd have to be runners on at least first and second so that the infield fly rule would be in effect. There'd be a towering pop-fly hit in the infield, somewhere near second base. Once the fielder settled under the ball, and the umpire judged that the ball could be caught with ordinary effort, that'd be your first out right there, and the ball hasn't even fallen to the ground yet. Secondly, while the ball was in the air, we're assuming that the runner from first base was running on contact, while the runner on second stayed close to the base. As soon as the runner from first base passed the runner on second base, then the runner from first base is automatically out for passing the runner on second. That's two outs, and the ball still hasn't hit the ground yet. Thirdly, the outfielder, for some reason, would have had to misjudge the ball, or else just completely step away from it, allowing the ball to fall untouched to the ground. If the runner on second base was standing just a little bit off the base, and that ball took a bounce when it hit the ground and bounced up and hit the runner on second, that would make him the third out. There's your three outs, with no member of the defense touching the ball. A couple of notes on this...the runner on second base being hit with the ball would HAVE to be the last out. The ball is dead as soon as a runner is called out for being hit with a batted ball. Therefore, the theory that you can have a triple play with no defenseman touching the ball by having a hit ball bounce off of three different runners is impossible. Even if that did happen, only the first to be hit would be called out, and the play would be dead. Also, the runner on second base would HAVE to be standing just off the base when he was hit. Note under NORMAL circumstances that if a batted ball strikes a runner, whether or not he's standing on a base, he'd be out...as the base is not a sanctuary in this case. However, on an infield fly, even though the runner is still out if a batted ball contacts him when he is off the base...he is NOT out if the ball contacts him while he is on the base. The infield fly rule is the ONLY time a batter is protected from being called out when hit by a batted ball if he is on base. Now you all are just a little smarter, thanks to one of the best umpires ever to call balls and strikes on the diamond...and that'd be me!
Yes. They would be out. Think of it like this. If a runner is running home from third and the catcher slides onto the plate with the ball, the runner is still out, even though the catcher is on the ground. As long as the Defensive player has possession of the ball, and is touching the base, the offensive player would be considered out.
Runners can advance in any case even with 2 outs. The batter is different. If first base is occupied with less than 2 outs then the batter cannot advance but everyone else can... It would be more of a steal than drop strike though. If there are 2 outs and he strikes out on a dropped strike, the batter is allowed to advance with a runner already occupying first. In any other case you can go whenever you please
MLB Rule 2.00 states: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 gloveThus, if the ball is held "securely and firmly" in your glove when you touch the base with ANY part of your body -- even your hand or the bottom of your foot -- that would be considered a "tag."Rule 7.08(e) states:Any runner is out when --...(e) He fails to reach the next base before a fielder tags him or the base, after he has been forced to advance by reason of the batter becoming a runner.Thus, if a fielder tags the base the runner must advance to, prior to the runner reaching that base, that runner is out. And touching a base with your hand while holding the ball in your glove would be considered a tag of the base.Note, however, that tagging a player is different, as stated in Rule 2.00 :A TAG is the action of a fielder in ... 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.Thus, although you can tag a BASE with the hand that does not hold the ball, you can only tag a RUNNER with the hand (or glove) that is holding the ball.