greymule, you highlight an interesting play in light of the Fed's recent change of their appeal rule, the wording of their rules, and the caseplay 8-2-5 they have revised.
RETOUCHING A MISSED BASE
First, under all rules, a player's ability and legality to return to touch a missed base
is determined at the time the ball becomes dead. In OBR, the runner may be anywhere beyond the base he had a time of pitch, and he may return provided he does not continue past or touch a succeeding base
after the time the ball became dead. In Fed, if he is on or beyond the base succeeding the base he missed and the ball becomes dead, he may not legally return to touch the missed base. Also, like OBR, if he is not beyond such succeeding but continues to touch it after the ball became dead, then he may not legally return to touch the missed base.
Under both sets of rules, if the player:
- does not return to retouch the missed base, or
- returns and touches a base that he is not legally allowed to retouch
the defense must appeal in order to gain the out.
THE AWARD OF 2 BASES
In OBR, per PBUC 3.11, the award of 2 bases
after a catch is based on the base occupied at the time of the pitch, regardless of the runner's location or his actions at the time the ball becomes dead.
In Fed, per 8-3-5b, where the award originates would be based on the runner's actions at the time the ball became dead.
That is, the award after a catch would be based on his location at the time of the throw UNLESS a runner "who is returning to touch a base after a batted ball has been caught is prevented from doing so because a thrown live ball has become dead". In such exception, the award would be 2 bases from base occupied at the time of the pitch.
I read that to mean the runner
must be attempting return after a catch and when a ball becomes dead in order for the award to be from his original base at time of pitch. However,
if he is not attempting return at the time the ball becomes dead after a catch, then the award would based upon his location in the basepath a the time the throw left the fielder's hand.
I'm not certain if that is what the Fed had in mind with their wording, but that is what it states and what I would determine after reading their caseplays.
Of course, under live ball conditions, all runners may return to touch missed bases regardless of how far they advanced unless a subsequent runner has touched home, or (under Fed) he has entered the dugout.
Just my opinion,
Freix