What occurs if a runner slides late into second base causing contact with the fielder?

The correct response indicates that if a runner slides legally into second base, they are safe regardless of the slide's timing or any contact that occurs as a result. A legal slide must maintain specific criteria: the runner must be attempting to reach the base, and the slide must start at a reasonable distance from the base. If the slide adheres to these rules, the runner's safety is preserved even if there is subsequent contact with the fielder.

In baseball, incidental contact that results from a legal slide does not inherently create a violation, assuming the slide is not deemed reckless or directed at the fielder in a malicious manner. The intent behind the action is essential, but legality of the slide provides the foundation for the ruling of safety.

There are other interpretations that do not apply in this scenario. For instance, a slide cannot always be considered a violation regardless of intent, as it depends on its execution. Likewise, the play is not automatically dead from such contact unless the actions cross the line into excessive force or are deemed a violation of the rules. Lastly, a fielder being charged with obstruction generally pertains to situations where the fielder impedes a runner's progress in an illegal way, not merely from contact that arises from a runner's legal actions