runner on 2nd, 2outs ground ball up the middle short stop makes nice play but runner safe at 1st, runner from 2 rounds 3rd and thinks the batter was out. He continues to jog around 3rd and removes his helmet heads toward 1st base dugout. 1st basemen throws home, but catcher misses ball, runner realizing the play is still live runs and touches home plate from about 1/2 way between home and pitchers mound. Is he safe or out ?
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This is just one ignorant fan's perspective but my instincts tell me he's out because he left the basepath.
Safe. The base path is not an issue as there was no direct play on the runner. Think of a player that overruns first as a wild throw sails into RF. The runner often goes to 2nd from edge of OF grass. In HS... the removal of the helmet is a delayed dead ball - a team warning on 1st infraction, ejection on subsequent infractions... but still not an out.
Here is the rule for reference: BOLD is my emphasis.
ART. 2 . . . Any runner is out when he: a. runs more than three feet away from a direct line between bases to avoid being tagged or to hinder a fielder while the runner is advancing or returning to a base; 1. This is not an infraction if a fielder attempting to field a batted ball is in the runner’s proper path and if the runner runs behind the fielder to avoid interfering with him. 2. When a play is being made on a runner or batter-runner, he establishes his baseline as directly between his position and the base toward which he is moving.
NEWUMPIRE has it unless the umpire ruled the throw home was a play on him which it should never be but it is high school. It is similar to the play skunk in the outfield where with runners on first and third the runner on first goes to right field to get his lead. Most would say he is out of the baseline but he is not. His baseline is set from where he is in a straight line to the base he is going.
In the original story it would be no different than him taking a wide turn around third almost going to the dugout he just went the other way.
The runner going home was ruled safe and coach came out to argue call at 1st which I thought was the right call by ump. I thought intentionally taking your helmet off during live play was an out because you were ruled abandoning your base. It did set up nicely for our team to have a walk off grand slam to win against our cross town rivals. Thanks for the response guys, it was not a big deal in the game it was just new to me and I was wondering.
