Shot across the bow?

I believe that if the boys are being taught to correctly turn the DP, then you may hit the runner just because he is there. If he is looking before throwing then he is calculating the "should I" throw it. Never should a boy at that age hit a RUNNER IN THE FACE INTENTIONALLY. Just my opinion.

From the time I was able to turn a double play, which was at the age of twelve, I've always been taught to throw through the runner if he's between me and first base, it's his fault if he doesn't get out of the way, just as it's my fault if I do not avoid his hard slide. I haven't hit anybody in the face yet, and I'm going on 21 years with that philosophy.

Turn the pivot & make the throw, it should be automatic. The fielder shouldn't be pausing to see if the runner is in the way. If the runner is up, he'll duck, or learn to duck next time.

If the mif has to alter his throw in anyway because the runner does not slide then the runner and hitter are out. That is the way it is called in NC HS baseball. The mif should not worry about what the baserunner is doing. He should make the throw to first base and if the runner is not down yet he should throw through the runner. I have coached a long time and I have never seen a runner get hit yet. They will get down or get out of the way. If they do indeed hit a runner they need to understand that it is not their fault. I never told my guys to hit the baserunner. I have always just told them to make the throw and the runner will make the adjustment not you.

The fielder , once he begins adjusting to the runners is in trouble--it is his right to make the turn at second and make the throw unobstructed---I am with Coach May---the HS runner will adjust very quickly

If an offensive player is old enough to learn how to break up a double play and the defensive player is old enough to turn it then the playing of the game should take it from there.

The offensive coach is not doing right by his players if he did not teach them to slide to break up a DP. He is doing far worse than that if he told them to stand up.

Make the play. It's your job, just like it's his job to duck.

It's like blaming the bill collector because you didn't read the contract.

Coach May,
The rule is the same here in Iowa. Last year we had a play just like this. The runner did not slide or get out of the way. All he did was tuck in his arms and tip his head over. Our SS altered his throw not to hit him. The runner at the batter should both of been out. The ump did not call the batter out. Needless to say there was a discussion. We were told that the runner was not intentionaly trying to get in the way so it wasn't interference. Needless to say this discussion went on for ahwile and the called wasn't changed. This same ump told us in a rundown, the basepath can change. This is varsity baseball and these are certified umps. Not all umps in Iowa are this bad but we seem to always get them.

the basepath thing can get a little cloudy. it's my understanding the basepath is a straight line from the br to the base he is going to, at the time of the defense trying to get him out. sparks many a spirited discusion around the water cooler. many local umps don't recognize this. which can cause many more spirited discusions. it's a great game.

As a former MIF, I have always taught my kids to make their throw anyway they can. They should NEVER adjust their throw to avoid the runner. I was always taught to throw from "down under" to make the runner get down.

20dad,
The questionable part of this is this runner was not in a rundown anymore. We had a runner between 3B and home in a rundown. The runner at 2B had started on his way to 3B. The runner between home and 3B went back to 3B so we made a play on the other runner. As we tagged him out the 3B runner took off for home. This is when he went out of the basepath to avoid the tag. This is when we got the explanation that in a rundown the basepath changes. This runner was no longer in a rundown. We should of had 2 outs. Instead we end up getting one out plus they get a run. We should of been out of the inning.