[soundedlikeastrike]

One last try; ah, the english language.

The term: A runner "must return", is not an all inclusive description IMO.

Yes, that's what is says verbatim, and that is a very accurate description IF, there is an appeal.

It means. A runner "must return to be legal and safe from an appeal".

There is no where, in any rule set, that makes it "mandatory", i.e. "this game will not re-commence until the runner re-touches". Nor, "I'm not ruling anything until he re-touches. It just ain't so.

At the time the ball goes out of play, kill it, make the 1 base award like the rule says, from where the runner is at the time the ball became dead.

I see the moralality of what your saying, but hey, enforcement of the rules doesn't alway involve morality.

I really think a F5 charging a week dribbler up the line and throwing from a horizontal position to just miss the runner at 1B by a 1/2 step, is immoral. Hey, he hit a weak grounder to the infield, F5 made a great play, but guess what, he's still safe.

The argument that "this is not an over throw" means nothing. It's a dead ball and a base award is warranted. The only difference is how many bases.

In the MLBUM quote: the orginal award is two bases, that didn't change, runner was past 2B, he is awarded 3RD and HP. If he does that, okay, score the run, unless, there is an appeal, then ring him up on his coaches behalf.
The offense screwed up not me.

If he goes back and retouches, the award is to 3rd.
Hey, an Umpire can change his mind, I like that.

I don't see a difference enforcing a "2 base award" vs a "1 base award" during a retouch situation.

If the runner returns to re-touch, I change the ruling and award 2B. That wasn't hard now was it?

Every rule set means, the runner, must re-touch legally, in the right order etc., to be "exempt" from being called out on appeal.

Same play, with R1 tagging and leaving just a tad bit early. He still "must return". But if he doesn't, the one base award is still 2nd, even if he doesn't retouch. He's on second illegally, so what? Not my problem. Defense appeals he's out, they don't, he's on 2nd.

Good topic. But to answer the OP, yeah, legal catch and a one base award from where the runner are at the time the ball goes dead. So R1, to 2nd, R2 to 3rd, score R3, and yes, even if one or all em failed to retouch.

Period.