[David Emerling]

Originally posted by greymule
In ASA, even if the ball had become dead, the runner can correct a baserunning error. It is only if the runner advances to the next base after the award is made that he cannot return to correct an error. Example: Abel gets a long hit, misses 1B, touches 2B, and is sliding into 3B but still short of the bag when the throw goes into DBT.

Now, with Abel safe at 3B, the umpire awards Abel home. Abel can still return to correct the miss of 1B, and then advance to home. However, if Abel first advanced to home (after the award), he could not then correct his error. This particular ASA rule is fairly recent (two, three years ago).

Note than in Fed, unless Fed has made some rule change I don't know about, the runner could not return. In fact, I believe that even if Abel had reversed direction and was running back toward 2B in an attempt to correct his miss of 1B when the ball went into DBT, he would not be legally allowed to correct the error.

(For anyone interested in the parallel play in baseball, in OBR the runner could not return, because he touched 3B after the ball became dead.)

In the original situation, once you have legally scored, there's nothing you can do to nullify your run. Example: Abel on 3B, no out. Baker hits a fly ball. Abel tags up at 3B and scores. Then, in the mistaken belief that he left too soon, he runs back to 3B and remains there. The umpire is to take Abel off the base and award the run.

Question regarding the ASA ruling ...

In your example above, the umpire would initially award the runner home. If, prior to advancing home, the runner retraced back and touched 1st, would the umpire still award the runner home, or, would he update that award to 3rd?

Just wondering.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN