[greymule]

Bob is right. What we've all been calling an accidental appeal can occur only on force plays and is really an accidental force out that looks something like an appeal. It is an outgrowth of the case book play in which the runner beats the throw at first but misses the bag, and the first baseman tags the base "though he believes the runner has beaten the throw." The question is, At what point is that force play no longer in effect? I don't have my case book with me, but I think it mentions "continuing action," one of the universe's undefined terms.

The case book and at least one of this year's situations dictate that the accidental force out be called significantly after the missing of the base. So it would be nice to know exactly what has to happen so that the runner or the base being "accidentally" tagged has no effect. We've seen that an intentional walk does not nullify the opportunity for the accidental appeal. Before an intentional walk, there is often a time out. Is the accidental force in fact off only after the opportunity for appeal is lost (i.e., a pitch)?

Actually, I'm more concerned about precisely when a following runner's being put out does or does not eliminate the force play, accidental appeal or not. "If he was forced at the time he missed the base" isn't holding water under analysis. That's another thread, though!