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Pete,
The reason the correct mechanic in this situation is to signal safe, is so as to not alert the defense of the miss of the base.
When a runner beats the ball to the bag, and misses the base as he passes it, he is in fact considered safe until the defense makes an unmistakeable appeal. On a close play like this, you would signal one way or another had the runner touched the base. If you don't signal anything, you're alerting the defense that somethings amiss.
I don't remember this being discussed on McGriff's. Even if it was, due to the poor quality of the poster's there, I doubt it recieved any real solid input.
I do remember a discussion about what would constitute an unmistakeable appeal on a play at third with continuing action.
That play went something like this:
R1, R2 - 1 out. B1 hits a trouble ball to left. F7 misplays the ball. R2 rounds third but misses the bag. F7 fires to F2 in an attempt to retire R2. R2 beats the throw and steps on the plate. F2 fires the ball back to F5 who puts a tag down on R1 coming into third, and in doing so, steps on third.
No verbal indication of an appeal is made. The question was, do we have an unmistakeable appeal for the third out?
BTW- Glad you decided to leave that disgrace of a board!
Tim.
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