Hi, my name's Tom and I'm just dropping in to introduce myself.

I'm new to baseball, having started watching the sport half-way through last season.

I wasn't immediately hooked, watching it just out of curiosity at first, but the game has steadily grown on me - to the extent that I've now adopted a team (the Mets) and started to follow the sport pretty closely.

I've picked the Mets because I've visited New York twice and the last thing I remember seeing the last time I went is CitiField.

I'm actually a professional Rugby League journalist, and have found that MLB provides a great escape from the sport when it gets too much for me.

Look forward to getting to know a few of you over the next few months.

Cheers!

Hi mate welcome aboard. Good start to the season!

Hey mate

Nice to have you aboard, must say superb team choice, you'll never get an easy ride with the Mets mate adds to all the fun!!

3 and 0 by the way!

Hi mate welcome excellent choice of team, we've started well hope we can keep injury free this season B)

Welcome to the forum, another Mets fan your in good company here then and a lot of people to chat with.

Any questions then just ask away.

Thanks for the welcome.

I'm about there with the rules but I'm slightly embarrassed to admit that there is still one key part of the game that still confuses me.

You can run a batter out by having a foot on the plate while the ball is in your possession before the batter reaches the base, and you can also run a batter out by tagging them with the ball.

I get that, but, what dictates the method used?

Or, to put it another way, when can you run them out using the foot on plate method and when must you run them out by tagging them with the ball?

Hope that makes sense!

hi mate welcome to the forum although I'm not pleased at your chosen teams sweep of mine!

As for the rules regarding the force/tag out. A force out (tagging the base before the runner reaches it) occurs when the player has no choice but to run, in other words a player in heading for the base he currently occupies. If the bases are loaded a force out can occur at every base as the players have no choice but to advance.

A tag out is needed if the player is advancing to a base by choice. For instance if a player is stealing second he needs to be tagged as there is not a player behind him forcing him to run. The same if a player with the bases empty hits a double/triple. He doesn't HAVE to go to those bases, he only needs to go to first, so he needs to be tagged out before reaching them.

I hope that helps.

Great explanation. Thanks very much. I understand now!

I came back from NYC a couple of weeks ago and while I was over there I picked up a Lindy's 2012 MLB guide. Not the best starting point for new fans, but I've learnt a lot from reading it!

Welcome to the forum, you must be happy with the Mets 3-0 start :) Let's hope you's can keep up some of this form throughout the season or at least enjoy the good run whilst it lasts :D

Also good to see Johan Santana back in the rotation after such a lengthy spell on the sidelines. If he stays healthy he'll make a big difference to the fortunes of the men in Citifield.

Kid Cuddy

Welcome to the forum. great start by the Mets. Nice to see.

Rob

Welcome to the forum from a fellow baseball fan who used to live in Huddersfield!