Ejection 099 - Bud Black Tossed After Out of Base Path Call...But Fielder Never Had the Ball

HP Umpire Malachi Moore ejected Rockies manager Bud Black for arguing an out of the base path call on Colorado R3 Sam Hilliard on a play at the plate. Does the catcher actually need to have the ball? Report: www.closecalls...
Twitter: / closecallsports
Discord: / discord
Replays indicate that as Hilliard approached home plate on a fielder's choice, he ran into foul territory to avoid Padres catcher Austin Nola, who himself struggled to field a throw from San Diego first baseman Eric Hosmer. In fact, Nola had so much trouble with the throw, he appeared to have never actually possessed the baseball as he lunged with an outstretched arm toward baserunner Hilliard.
HP Umpire Moore signaled an out of the base path call, ruling that R3 Hilliard ran more than three feet away from his base path to avoid a tag.
But, as Official Baseball Rule 5.09(b)(2) states, "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."
OBR's Definition of Tag makes many references to the fielder "holding the ball" and at no point did catcher Nola appear to satisfy that criterion.
Accordingly, without the definition of TAG applicable due to the catcher not possessing the baseball, OBR 5.09(b)(2) establishment of a base path never officially occurred: there was no actual tag attempt, so there was no such establishment.
Accordingly, this would appear to be a situation in which OBR 5.09(b)(2) is not applicable, regardless of how far baserunner R3 Hilliard actually did run or deviate into foul territory in avoidance of F2 Nola.