[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by greymule
Tie score, bottom of last inning, bases loaded, 2 outs.

Batted ball: everybody has to touch the next base.

Award: balk—just R3, no one else; any other—R3 and batter, no one else.

A ball hit over the fence is both a batted ball and an award. Which category does it fall into?

What if the batter hits the ball over the fence and everybody trots around the bases, but the runner on first missed second and is called out on appeal? R3 touched home, batter touched first. The out came afterward. Run score or not?

It seems to me that casebook rulings should establish some principle to go by. PBUC 3.14 seems to violate, for the sake of one situation, at least one principle we're all familiar with.

Note that PBUC 3.15 says that if the batter hits a ball over the fence with the bases loaded and 2 out and then passes the preceding runner before the runner from 3B scores, the run does not count. Yet PBUC 3.13 says that, in the same situation, on a base on balls, if a runner advances past a base to which he is entitled and is put out, the runner from 3B STILL SCORES, even if the out came before the runner touched home. Or would both these plays be ruled differently in a tie-score, bottom-of-the-ninth situation?

[Edited by greymule on Apr 4th, 2002 at 02:53 PM]

Mule:

I'm not sure why you find this difficult unless you enjoy arguing about gray areas.

The PBUC issues interpretations, usually in accordance with the OBR black letter law, that clarify how it wants a situation called.

If a runner advancing on a live ball award (only happens following a walk) should be over-zealous and pass a preceding runner, he is out; but it is not a time play. Why? Because of 7.04(b) CMT and Play.

If a runner advancing on a dead ball award (as happens on a home run) passes a preceding runner, it is a time play. Why? Because of 4.11(c) AR.

Remember, too, that they care not one whistle whether anyone likes their rulings. They simply want to ensure that about 400 umpires follow them to the letter.