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Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve
In this play, the first baseman tried a swipe tag and missed the runner. He then immediately chased the runner down and applied a tag after passing the base. This to me is pretty darn unmistakable that F3 is appealing the missed base. I've got an out.
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I think in most cases on the field, kyle and everyone else here would agree with you. The key, as stated several times here, is an "unmistakeable appeal". We, as umpires, are allowed to think. J/R is a great guideline, but cannot cover EVERYthing.
Take in ALL of your information. I'd err on the side of an out here too - but it is NOT automatic, as you seem to be implying. There are numerous reasons F3 could be tagging the runner (some mentioned above). If F3 is doing this on every play, then this is not an unmistakeable appeal. If F3 had previously tried to get a cheap out after a runner turned left, and the runner in this sitch turned left as well, again - not an unmistakeable appeal. The appeal doesn't have to be verbal - but if not verbal is DOES have to be unmistakeable.
Often, on a play like this, if you don't rule an out immediately, F3 will look at you and say something like, "But he missed the base". If this is said quickly enough that, your natural pause in timing on other plays comes in handy here, as you can still call the out. If F3 doesn't say this, it's likely he was NOT making an appeal, and was tagging the runner for some other reason.