Breaking the Double Play

Nothing is more exciting, even to me, than seeing a seamlessly executed double play…or seeing a runner break up a double play in a cloud of dust. Either way it can be a game changer.

But as the official, you can’t get sucked into the play. You must make sure you make the right call, ensuring everyone is safe and the play falls within the parameters of the rules. The most common rules violation during a double play attempts comes from the offense, in the form of interference. We discussed this last year, but in a difference situation. To best explain this, let’s put you on the field during a situation. Here we go:

Bottom of the 7th, one out, home team is down by one. Bases loaded. The ball is hit to the shortstop, flipped to 2nd for the double play; the runner takes the 2nd baseman out in a massive cloud of dirt, scoring the run, game over right? Here comes the coach screaming, “the runner is out of the baseline” (what line, there’s no chalk line), the stands erupt, people hanging on the screens, mass hysteria…what in the world just happened?

Intense, huh?

Take a deep breath. There is a lot the official has to know and consider when making this call. To start, you need to understand “what is the running lane” and how it applies. There are two main chalk lines from the plate down 1st and 3rd, indicating the fair line (yes, fair line. we’ll get into that one later on) that leads out to the outfield fence. There is an additional line that parallels the 1st base line that creates a 3’ wide lane. This is called the “runner’s lane.” This 3’ wide lane is also recognized for each base path between all the bases, allowing the runner a specific amount of room to run the bases. There are several rules that come into play during this situation, so let’s break them down as we go so it all makes sense.

Rule 7.08 Any runner is out when— (a) (1) He runs more than three feet away from his base path to avoid being tagged unless his 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 he is attempting to reach safely;

This rule clearly outlines the base path as 3’. It’s easy to see this path because of the chalk line. But how do you know about the other bases? Simple, I was trained to extend your arm away from your body horizontally. This is about 3’. In other words, if runner can reach the base with his hand, then in my judgment, he falls within the 3’ range satisfying the rule. If the runner has to lunge or make additional effort to reach the base, then he is out of the 3’ lane. You ask how does this apply? Keep reading…

Rule 7.09(f) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner.

This rule is straight forward, it clearly states if the runner, “deliberately interferes with a fielder with the obvious intent to break up the double.” Here’s where the 3’ running lane comes into play. If the runner slides into second in the attempt to break up the double play, but stays within the 3’ running lane and there is no flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct and breaks the double, we call that baseball. To complete rule 7.09(f) if the runner moves to “deliberately” interfere with defense while attempting to make the play, the ball is called dead. The runner and the batter-runner are both called out as a result of the interference call. If there is flagrant contact, then the players involved are ejected.