[Four-Oh]

Hi, all.

Indeed, in the J/R, it does state that the run should be disallowed:

("the time he [the runner] is considered to have touched the plate is when he actually does touch it") J/R 9th ed., pp. 81-82.

Italics original, denoting that such text is "not to be considered those officially used on the fields of professional baseball" (from the Preface, p. 17)

However, in Roder's book "More than 100 Problems with the Official Baseball Rules" (2nd ed.), in Problem 8 (pp. 15-17), Roder notes, at the end of his discussion of the play that:

"PBUC is on record (BRD 454) stating that the run in the examples[*] must be allowed."

This, I think, gives us an indication as to how this play should be called, although Roder does go on to say:

"It is anyone's guess what a professional umpire might rule on these plays"

which, looking at the length of this discussion, wouldn't surprise me in the least!

While I originally liked J/R's concept of this play and a literal interpretation of 4.09(a), I'm not sure it squares with the other J/R concept of "touch or pass of a base" (J/R, 9th ed., p.43). It seems to me that the PBUC (although I only know of it from the quotation above) and the JEA (posted earlier) rulings are the way to treat this play.

Regards,
Andrew

*The examples in question are:
1. 2 out, R1, extra-base hit, R1 passes home, B-R then out at 3B, R1 returns and touches plate before tag, PU signals R1 safe, but defensive manager argues that R1's run scored after the third out, and
2. 2 out, R2, base hit, R2 passes home, B-R then out at 2B, PU indicates run scores on time play, R2 then returns and touches plate, no appeal (defense leaves field).