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The rules you quoted cannot be used to call a BR out for retreating towards home if he has not yet touched first
7.08(i)uses confusing the defense and travesty of the game as reasons for calling the runner out.
As stated there is perfectly good reason to retreat, to give the another runner time to get to second or third.
Travesty means mocking or ridiculing the game. Avoiding a tag is not mocking the game. Thinking you may have to bat again is not ridiculing the game.
7.10(b) is an appeal play. You call that during continuous action of a live ball and you very well might be making a travesty of the game.
The force can only be reinstated "if the forced runner, after touching the next base, retreats for any reason towards the base he had last occupied, the force play is reinstated..." (Rule 7.08(e)
Since the BR is not forced because the definition of a force play is "... a play in which a runner legally loses his right to occupy a base by reason of the batter becoming a runner." The force play strictly deals with RUNNERS being forced to advance by the BR.
Finally abandonment is only allowed to be called if the runner leaves the baseline (7.08(a))
So the BR is not forced at first and cannot be called out just for retreating to first, as long as it makes sense in the course of the play (read "trying to avoid the tag, etc.)
[QUOTE]Originally posted by teacherspit
[B]
Gentlemen I know in ASA that the second a BR stops and steps backwards he is called out. I like that rule. I know that baseball does not have that rule. But as Bob said it is an umpires judgement and there are ways to call a BR out backtracking to home.
Making a travesty of the game for one.
REVERSE BASE RUNNING RULE MYTH
In order to correct a base running mistake, the runner MUST retrace his steps and retouch the bases in reverse order. The only time a runner is out for running in reverse, is when he is making a travesty of the game or tries to confuse the defense.
Rules: 7.08(I), 7.10(b)
Your judgement!
[Edited by Kaliix on Jul 26th, 2004 at 01:24 PM]
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