[Rick Roder]

Gentlemen,

Marc Zwikirsch and Jens Wolfhagen both have asked me to chime in on this play.

Here's the thoughts/logic behind what would be done in professional baseball (US):

Rules violations are normally dealt with in the order they occur and require enforcement.

In other words, even though the batter is improper before the balk is made, he may become proper if there is no appeal (the violation does not require immediate action).

An umpire is not required to start adding up violations and deal with the overall play in that manner. He is required to enforce each rule as it happens.

So, on this play he calls the balk. Then, upon seeing that the batter and all runners get a base, he makes a mental note that the balk is nullified. It is no longer a factor.

Then the batting out of order appeal is made. He then enforces that rule as written; proper batter out, R1 back to first.

To do it any other way confuses the situation and brings in abstract arguments of theory and practice. When in doubt in such situations: Make it easy for the umpire! (MLB Jeff Nelson's advice when I asked him about this play.)

Hope that helps everybody...I am not sure how this play would be handled in the amateur ranks, but you can be certain that in professional baseball the umpires would put R1 back at first.

Merry Christmas everybody! Rick Roder