Is this an out?

Question

At a (ASA rules) slow pitch softball game today, a player hit a home run. As he was running to 1st base he went really wide tossing the bat towards the dugout (not throwing or anything) he just rounded very wide, when he got home after touching all the bases the umpire called him out for running out of the baseline going towards 1st.

I don't think that it should be an out, I know in the rules it says the baseline is 3 feet on each side, but that is only if there is a play being made on you or that base you are going to. The only time I think a player can be called out going to first is if he was already making an attempt to go into the dugout. That is that I told the umpire. Who is right?

Answer 1

what did you do to p**s the ump off, because he was looking for a reason to p**s you off. It should not have been called an out.By the way you establish your baseline as your running the bases it's not a straight line between bases.

Answer 2

i dont think that is is an out but at the same time i think that the rules do state that it is 3 feet you are allowed and most umpires dont follow those rules but it just sounds like you got stuck with a bad ump

Answer 3

For that specific reason there is not a baseline in between home to first and third to home.  the baseline only applies from first to second and second to third.  They do this for the exact reason of players rounding first and third really wide, b/c there is no way you can stay withing 3 feet of the baseline when aggressively running the bases

Answer 4

The umpire is correct. Although the ball was technically not in play (having left the field), a play (running out the home run) was still in progress. The batter-runner may not run outside the baseline until that play is completed. Many umpires look the other way on such a play, but this one was technically correct.

Answer 5

I would have gone ballistic on that ump - it would have been like George Brett after being called out for having too much pine tar on the bat.  Yes, technically it's the right call, but this is a perfect example of not understanding the "spirit" of a rule.

Answer 6

it is not an out.  In fact when players round 1st or come around 3rd they are typically more than 3 feet out of the baseline.  I am betting the ump didn't care for the bat toss and was looking for an excuse.

Answer 7

Section 7. The runner is out.

A. When running to any base in regular or reverse order and the runner runs more than three feet (.91 m) from the base path to avoid being touched by the ball in the hand(s) of a fielder.

He was not avoiding being tagged, so he's not out

Answer 8

you are out of base line only if you are trying to avoid a tag.

Answer 9

You are correct, it is not an out.  You would only be called out if a defensive play was being made and the runner ran outside the baseline to avoid being tagged.

Answer 10

if he/she didnt go out of the the three feet baseline than no it shouldn't be an out.

but the umpire needs to call when it HAPPENS! NO it dosent matter if there a play being made on you.  

You go out of the baseline on a homerun you can get called out.

Edit: what did the coachs say?

Answer 11

The umpire. It would've been allowed rounding third maybe but first is a strict line