Mandatory Slide Rule

Any RUNNER is out when HE DOES NOT SLIDE or ATTEMPTS to Get Around a Fielder who has the ball AND is awaiting at the base to make the tag.

Note: If the Fielder comes up the line after the runner, the runner does not have to make the slide AND can make contact with the fielder. However the runner can not make contact with any fielder in a MALCIOUS manner.

If in the opinion of the umpire a runner makes MALICIOUS CONTACT with the defensive player, then the runner shall be called OUT AND EJECTED from the game.

MALICIOUS CONTACT is when a base runner collides with a defensive player, with possession of the baseball, in an attempt to dislodge the basaball and/or cause injury.

This means that the runner may have contact with the fielder and contact is allowed provided in the umpires judgement is NOT MALICIOUS.

Example: Runner on 1b heads toward 2b on ground ball to inf and slides straight into second base hard, contact is made with the fielder (SS or 2b) whom is fielding ball and attempting to throw to 1b for double play. The hard slide at 2b by the baserunner and the non malicious contact prevents the fielder from making an accurate throw and does not double up the batter-baserunner at 1b.

cheers Bear