Carter,
Seems we have the same section and the text is the same as you quoted:
"A runner is vulnerable to appeal if
(1) he does not touch a base when advancing (or returning)(within a body length) the final time. [7.02][7.04d][7.05i][7.10b].
Then you say that there is: "No 7.10d, no "reaching the advance base" mentioned.
".
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Why in the world would 7.10(d) be mentioned? He touched his advance base in all the examples therefore 7.10(b) applies. There is absolutely no need to apply (d).
I realy wonder why you didn't acknowledge, in your recent post, the fact that the runner, in all of the examples given in J/R, did in fact, touch his advance base. It is right there in black and white and I made a direct reference to it, are you trying to evade the facts of the situation?.
Yes, under "Constitution of an Appeal", the whole discussion of "relaxed and unrelaxed action" pertains to a missed base under 7.10(d).
Remember this book is a teaching tool and not an interpretation book. As you write, "they describe "relaxed action" when the runner who has failed to touch a base in passing is inactive; he is standing on another base, or is well removed from the base at which the appeal is being made."
I don't think of it the way they describes it. It means to me that the runner has simply left the immediate area of the base and whether he is returning or not, he is appealable under 7.10(d)ext. Of course if he is standing on another base he can now be appealed under either 7.10(b) or (d).
They further describe "unrelaxed action as the runner......is trying to scramble to a base".
To me unrelaxed action means that the runner has never left the immediate area of the base and therefore cannot be appealed and must be tagged. Does that remind you of 7.10(d)ext?
Then you write:
"Sounds like reaching the advance base is one possibility, but so is appealing a runner most of the way but not yet to the advance base, providing he's not trying to get back."
If the runner reaches the next base, as I said above, he can now be appealed under (b) or (d) but if he goes most of the way he can only be appealed under (d)whether he is returning or not.
As I mentioned before, the runner can be appealed if he is returning, scrambling back or whatever providing he leaves the immediate area of the base.
Think of this: If a runner fails to touch second in passing and stops just before he touches third and starts to return are you going to disallow an appeal and make the defense chase him or get him in a rundown? The answer to that is an emphatic NO, you can appeal him at any time until he touches the now missed base. One of the things they accomplished by extending 7.10(d} was to stop the chasing.
As to our disagreewment, reasonable people disagree. If you don't agree with my understanding of 7.10(b) and do agree that 7.10(d) has been extended to all bases, the problem is solved. With 7.10(d) extended you will, I hate to say never but, never need to use 7.10(b) again, especially in light of the recent "Last Time By" ruling by MLB. Enjoyed your J/R it's a great resource, regards. G.