[BlueLawyer]

Luke:

I disagree with the assertion that I should not consider whether the defense had a chance to turn the double play (a priciple, by the way, under which I give the benefit of every doubt to the defense).

6-4-3 situation: ball hit deep in the hole. R1 was moving with the pitch. F6 bobbles, then fields and throws to second. F4, facing F6, is pulled off the bag by F6's rushed throw. R1 comes into the second base bag standing up, never touching F4. F4, now trying to get any out he can, heaves to ball to F3, but the BR is already two steps past first.

And by the way, in many of the leagues I work, because F4 hurried his throw, we have a very good chance of an overthrow into dead ball territory.

R1 nominally violated the FPSR- he never got down or out of the way. His failure to do so also had absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of the play. Whom do I ring up? R1, who was standing on the bag before F4 finally controlled the ball? The BR also, who was past the first base bag when F4 finally chucked it that way?

And if I do ring both runners up, God forbid that F4's throw went into dead ball territory. Not only did I just turn two where there wasn't even one to be had, I also took a run off of the board for the offense. Now I take a situation where the defense made every wrong move, and the offense committed a rules violation that had no outcome on the play, and reward the defense for bad play.

I think you and I will have to just agree to disagree on this one.

Strikes and outs!