Javier Baez – Sneaky Single or Out of Baseline?
The Cubs and Dodgers played at Wrigley on Tuesday, April 29, 2019, when an interesting “out of the baseline” controversy developed. In the bottom of the second, Javy Baez was batting with an 0-2 count and one out when he tapped a soft ground ball to Dodgers’ first baseman, David Freese. It looked like an…
New Baseline Rule (2017) Changes Umpire Interpretation
Prior to the 2017 season, a runner’s baseline (excluding a rundown) was restricted by the fielder’s tag attempt with ball in glove or hand and extended toward the runner. This season, however, there is a rule change. A fielder no longer has to have ball in glove or hand extended toward the runner to restrict…
Benintendi Baseline Call Preserves No-Hitter
The Baseline rule (5.09 (b) (1) played a major role in preserving A’s pitcher Sean Manaea’s no-hitter against the Red Sox on Saturday night. With two outs in the sixth inning, Boston left fielder Andrew Benintendi sent a soft grounder up the first-base line and was ruled safe at first base after first baseman Matt Olson failed to tag…
