Baseball rule - Is the runner out?

OK, Here is your definitive answer;

I am citing the NFHS (High School) rule book,. You can look uo OBR rules and they will be the same.

Under rule 2-24 (definitions section),

Art. 1...A force-out is a putout during which a runner who is being forced to advance is tagged out, or is put out by a fielder who holds the ball while touching the base toward which the the forced runner is advancing.

Notice the fielder is not required to touch the ball to the base, only to have possesion of the ball, and then touch the base. He can touch with a foot, hand, knee, or any other body part and satisfy this rule.

Different is a tag out, as questioned by some above.

Art.4...A tag out is the putout of a runner, including the batter runner, who is not in contact with his base when touched with a live ball, or with the glove or hand when the ball is held securely therein by a fielder.........

That's about as definitive as it gets.

BTW, I am a certified high school umpire, and also call NCAA, as well as softball.

While some have given a partially correct answer, nobody has given a wholly complete and correct answer.

Those who said that the runner is out since the 3rd baseman need only touch the bag with any part of his body (foot, hand etc.) are correct, albeit only partially.

The 3rd baseman must also touch the bag before the runner touches the bag. Nobody else has mentioned this fact.

NO HE IS SAFE, can you tag a guy with your bare hand with the ball in your glove? No, you can't. It's the same thing. I don't know if you've ever seen a defensive player dive head first to beat a runner to the bag, but they always touch the bag with their mitt with the ball in it.

You can think of it this way. If you touch the bag with your foot the ball can be held in either hand (it makes sense to not have to bend down and touch the bag with the ball), but if the foot doesn't touch, the hand with the ball must touch the base or the runner is safe.

I can't believe all the answers that say he's out. Have none of you ever stepped foot on a diamond before?

Yes, it's an out. Would be the same as if his foot was on the bag, since it's a force play. Were no force in effect, he actually would have to tag the runner with the ball or with the glove holding the ball.

I believe the rule is 7.08(e), which only mentions the fielder having to touch the base in the case of a force play, but does not specify which portion of his body has to touch the base.

Well what is the difference if your hand touches it or your foot touches it? As long as its a force out any body part can touch the base and it will be an out.

Yes he is out. Just the same as if the third basemen stepped on the bag.

Now, for a tag situation it is different--the tag must be applied with the ball or the ball in the glove.

yes, all he has to do is touch the bag. Hand is the same as a foot. If he touches the runner he must touch him with the ball.

Yes, what would be the difference between tagging the bag with foot or bare hand??? Its a force out, so if you have the ball in your possession with complete control, you can tag the bag with any part of your body!

Yes

No...he is safe. If the fielder touches the bag with his glove, the runner is out. But if the ball is not in the hand that touches the base, then he is safe. Yes, it's weird because you can touch the base with your foot, he is out.

But the runner in your question is safe.