# A MLB ruling involving tagging up.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [August 13, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564 "2006-08-13T16:44:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2006, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564/1 "2006-08-13T16:44:13Z")
Let’s say there’s a runner tagging up on a fly ball and the fielder intentionally bobbles the ball to get the runner to, in essence, leave early. Is this a legal play?
I think about trying this all the time in softball.
---
### Author:  [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2006, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564/2 "2006-08-13T17:13:21Z")
> [@King Friday](#):
>
> Let’s say there’s a runner tagging up on a fly ball and the fielder intentionally bobbles the ball to get the runner to, in essence, leave early. Is this a legal play?
>
> I think about trying this all the time in softball.
Runner can leave as soon as the fielder touches the ball.
---
### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2006, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564/3 "2006-08-13T17:25:36Z")
> [@King Friday](#):
>
> Let’s say there’s a runner tagging up on a fly ball and the fielder intentionally bobbles the ball to get the runner to, in essence, leave early. Is this a legal play?
>
> I think about trying this all the time in softball.
Rule 2.00 (Catch) states:
> [@](#):
>
> Runners may leave their bases the instant the first fielder touches the ball.
So unfortunately, your plan won’t do you any good.
---
### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564/4 "2006-08-13T21:53:47Z")
You might want to check [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=383470).
---
### Author:  [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)
#### Post date: [August 14, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mlb-ruling-involving-tagging-up/368564/5 "2006-08-14T01:22:50Z")
> [@Xema](#):
>
> You might want to check [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=383470).
How the hell did I miss that? It’s practically the same question. Thanks.
By the way, I’d say Jeter’s out. He was leading off third and raced home, presumably never tagging up.