[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by Buster
Carl, I am not suggesting that I would EVER make the darn call. I am just complaining about the FED rule and how the heck to get around it. The defense made the choice to get the third out at the wrong place.
If you have to run the thing out in OBR and it is not specifically addressed in the rules, then why not in FED? FED is making us apply a penalty without an appeal. I also know this is rulebook lawyer crap. Discussing wierd situations and situations that may never come up is what this and other umpire boards are about. Isn't that the whole point of this discussion? Don't get me wrong, I am not angry, ticked or anything else.

I have read the entire thread and that is what I got out of it when the discussion switched to FED rules. Did I miss something somewhere?

Buster

[Edited by Buster on Mar 29th, 2001 at 09:53 PM]

Buster:

Call Herb and ask him what to do. Seriously!

But, to answer your questions:

FED rules now:

1. If the batter-runner does not go to first, that is not a baserunning infraction. Those are of two kinds only: a runner misses a base or a runner leaves too soon. (FED 8-2 Penalty; casebook 9.1.1 Situation E)

2. A batter-runner is not forced to go to first. (FED 2-24-5; 9-1-1a/b)

Note: If the out made by the batter-runner was a force out (meaning he MUST advance to the base because of something inherent in the rules), then the rules would not need to provide specific information about how to treat the batter-runner when he is out at first. The Committee would simply say: "A run doesn't score when the third is a force out," and that would cover the B-R also. Such simply isn't the case anywhere.

Do not be misled by anyone who quotes 8-2-5: The FED means: If a baserunning infraction is the third out, runs scored by the following runner(s) would not count. With two outs [my emphasis], if the base missed was first or the first base to which any runner was forced to advance, no runs would score.

3. The FED inadvertently omitted the definition of a "force play" when they restructured Rule 2 for the 1992 edition. In all books up to 1992, they wrote:

A force play is a play in which a runner (or two or three runners) loses his right to the base he occupies and is forced to advance because the batter becomes a batter-runner. (FED 2-12-4, 1991 edition)

Note: In the front of that book, under rules changes, the Committee listed none for rule two.

Buster: You must see this is a no-brainer.

Finally, you write:

The defense made the choice to get the third out at the wrong place.

Correct, and since they did that during live action, it is not the umpire's duty to protect them. He does that only when a fourth out results from a baserunning error, and, oh, we did that in number 1 above.

Say "Hey" to Herb for me.