E153 - Adam Hamari Ejects Mark Kotsay After Tony Kemp Called Out of the Base Path on Athletic Play

Описание: HP Umpire Adam Hamari ejected A's manager Mark Kotsay for arguing a 1st inning out of the base path call against baserunner Tony Kemp, whom Hamari ruled ran more than three feet away from his path to avoid Red Sox catcher Jorge Alfaro's tag attempt. Report: https://www.closecallsports.com/2023/...

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We diagram the play to determine whether runner R3 Kemp in diving away from the catcher to avoid the tag veered more than three feet from his base path to home plate, established when catcher Alfaro fielded (possessed) the ball and initiated the tag attempt by beginning his motion toward Kemp.

We also ask whether Kemp could have avoided this call by simply moving into fair territory sooner after leaving third base, as opposed to veering from foul to fair only when Alfaro picked up the baseball.

Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(1): "Any runner is out when they run more than three feet away from their base path to avoid being tagged unless their action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s base path is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base they are attempting to reach safely."

A base path is not a baseline!