How far can a player deviate from the baseline to avoid a tag at home plate?

[paul253]

They just showed a highlight of Carlos Beltran scoring the tying run against Chicago in the 8th inning. Looking at it twice, I noticed right away how far Carlos Beltran ran out of the baseline to avoid the tag. He was, in my estimate, at least 6 feet away from home plate, before coming in from behind it. Looking at the catchers reaction....the throw beat Beltran by plenty, and the catcher, Soto I believe, immediately turned and almost lunged to where Beltran should have been, and since he wasn't there, Soto kinda lost his balance, which allowed Beltran to go even further out of the baseline and come in from behind. I know its a tough call to make at this point, but I think he should have been called out. I don't know how you can expect the catcher to tag someone who is that far away from home plate.

 

 

(edit: title change to avoid the need to move this to non-Brewers IGT --1992)

[Worm8181]

I don't think I've ever seen someone called out for being out of baseline at home.

[paul253]

Neither have I, but then again, I dont usually see people that far out of the baseline. The rule of thumb for second base is that if you can touch the base with any part of your body you're ok. Theres no way, even had he slid, that Beltran could have reached home plate.

[Ranier]

Ouch, the Mets beating the Cubs with Harden going hurts bad.

[TooLiveBrew]

Glad this discussion was started. I had the exact same question (as the thread title) as I watched tonight. Unless there's a different set of rules for home plate regarding the 'baseline', there's just no way he shouldn't have been called out.

[stoutdude04]

It was Ryan Church...it doesnt look that bad to me. I also think it was Hill catching. Im more dissapointed with the awful relievers and terrible starters that were in for the cubs. I dont care that they scored 6 runs.

[diener34]

It would have been a huge screwjob if he got called out. I cannot ever remember a guy called out at home like that. I've seen plays with a guy 7 feet towards the dugout and come back and touch it.

 

The Ump had to make that call regardless of the rule.

[jason21nl]

I could be way wrong but I thought you can actually walk as far away as the dugout and as long as you don't go in it, you're still in play..Like I said I could be way off but I thought I heard that somewhere

[Pioneers3]

I could be way wrong but I thought you can actually walk as far away as the dugout and as long as you don't go in it, you're still in play..Like I said I could be way off but I thought I heard that somewhere

 

I believe the rule you are talking about is how far you can go after you strike out and it was a dropped third strike

[crewcrazy]

Hill made the stupid decision to leave his feet and lunge for a tag, and Church took advantage. The Mets would've thrown a hissy fit if he was called out, and if Piniella didn't make a big stink out of it, I'm not prepared to.