[MHepner]

Hepner again. Let's try a few more scenarios on the ground rule double. One response said the defense must be allowed an opportunity to play the ball. OK. Runner on first, batter hits a fly ball that the outfielder is camped under. The outfielder, with the opportunity to make the catch, lets it fall and the ball bounces over the fence. The runner on first has scored and the batter is halfway around third. The defense had ample opportunity to play the ball.
Situation 2: Bottom of the ninth inning, bases loaded, the batting team trails by two. The batter hits a flare into left field that rolls slowly toward the fence. The left fielder slips. As he recovers, he notices the runner on first is around third and ready to score and gives up on the ball feeling the game is over. The ball keeps rolling as the batter scores and at the last moment a) hits a rock, goes over the fence; b) bounces into the ivy; c) goes under the fence. Again, the defense had ample opporunity to field the ball. Why penalize the offense when all that happened is while the ball was still in live play. I think if you research further, the true meaning of ground rule double is that the ball becomes dead when it goes out of play. 99 percent of the time, a batter is not going to reach first, nor a runner the next base before it becomes a dead ball. If you ask Major League umpires, I feel you'll get a different response on the situations I presented.
Thanks, Marty