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Dear Patrick
I can gladly answer your question, since it is easy and short.
Though the out at first base in the example is not a force out, nor an
appeal, it acts exactly as such in both cases. Thus, due to two rules (an
advantageous fourth out becomes a third out, and, subsequently, no run can
score when the third out is a force out), no runs can score on this play.
It is best not to over-think such plays. In the umpire school classroom, if
this question had come up, we would have considered what would happen on the
field. Would it be easier to:
a) Rule that the run scores, and convince the defensive manager that he lost
his chance to get a "force" out at first when his team threw R2 out at the
plate, or
b) Rule that no run scores, and convince the offensive manager that the out
at first is a "force" out, supercedes the third out, and thus no runs can
score on the play.
Think BRIEFLY about which you would rather attempt to accomplish. Remember,
you only have a brief moment to consider it when the play happens.
In professional baseball, where you could never convince them on the field
that the out at first is not a force out based on a technicality in the
rulebook, the obvious answer would be (b). Think of the elaborate argument
you would have to create it (a). I wouldn't know where to begin. On the
contrary, letter (b) contains my whole argument. Brief arguments are good.
I hope that helps! Please feel free to post my letter on the umpire
bulletin board, if you wish. However, please inform your readers that time
constraints of my regular job prohibit me from answering rules questions,
and that I should only be contacted after extensive efforts to get an answer
elsewhere. Though the above play is "easy" to me, I can see where it would
need further explanation. Luckily, our book does a great job of offering
explanations to many, many questions on its own.
Thanks again for your kind comments about our book; we hope that it adds to
your love of baseball rules and umpiring.
Sincerely,
Rick Roder
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That, combined with the PBUC ruling leads me to call it the J/R way--that is, unless my association wants it differently.
P-Sz
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