|
Happenned to me couple years back, same sitch you explained here. I posted the play on here. Got some interesting responses.
My R3 was jogging into home plate, and maybe he hadnt been there in awhile, as he missed home by about 6 inches or so, and kept right on going to the 1st base dugout, getting high fives from his equally ignorant teammates.
Course def mgr and F2 noticed this, and yelled to F1 for the ball. F2 got it, stepped on home, and I called him out. ONLY after that the defense was calling for the ball, did R3 turn around and try to get back to home.
Off mgr said that his runner needed to be tagged. Told him not in this case.
To me, since R3 was not trying to touch home, and was making no attempt to come back and touch, and didnt until prompted by the actions of the defense, I saw this as an appeal play. That seemed to be the overwhelming opinion also, of those I asked locally here, and by others on this board.
The reason for others saying it had to be a tag, was whether the action was still "hot" or not. Relaxed vs unrelaxed. Guess for that play, its ones own opinion of hot or not.
For me, when during a game (in a non timeout sitch) are things more relaxed than during a walk? What happens on a walk, usually? Pitcher gets the ball back, walks around the mound, looking around, maybe wondering how plate guy missed the pitch. Other fielders are coming out of their "ready" stances putting their hands on their hips, or looking up in the stands. Any runners are slowly (sometimes walking) to the next base. When is it more "relaxed". Basically everyone is in casual mode.
So for me....R3 has given up on the play. I had an out.
On this forum, the most vocal (of course) was the esteemed Tim C. He was on the side of the action still being hot. Needing a tag.
For me there is a difference.. runner coming into home on a hit...slides, misses home...F2 misses tag. Then the obligatory scramble for the plate. Yes, that of course requires a tag. But on the runner being forced home, and blows right by home.....tag of the plate is all I required.
|