[greymule]

The website that sells the J/R includes this question in a quiz. Their answer is that the run scores, and no appeal is allowed. I'll see whether I can find it to post.

Here it is:

R3, R1, two outs. Ground ball up the middle, just past the pitcher's right side. The shortstop gloves the ball in front of second base and attempts to tag the sliding R1 instead of tagging the base. The tag is missed, but R1 slides past the base without touching it. As R1 scrambles back to the base, the shortstop tags him before he is able to return. R3 scored before the tag was applied for the third out (a 'time play'). The defense appeals that R1 missed second base, hoping to get a force out-an 'advantageous fourth out' - to negate the run.

a. The appeal is upheld; R1 is out and the run cannot score since the third out is now a force out.
b. The appeal is not allowed, the run scores.
c. The umpire should simply call R1 out for being out of the baseline, thus avoiding this whole mess.

The correct answer is "b" (the appeal is not allowed, the run scores), at least according to how professional umpires are likely to officiate this play. In theory, Jaksa and Roder agree with answer "a" (the appeal is upheld; R1 is out and the run cannot score since the third out is a force out), but felt it necessary to write the rule as it is likely to be enforced on the field, as in answer "b." The problem lies in the fact that the Official Rules do not specifically define what constitutes an appeal. As our quiz question shows, when appeals meet force plays, the rules are especially inadequate.

The above of course applies to OBR. Remember that in Fed, it was actually "accidental force play," even though it was commonly called "accidental appeal." A BR who had hit a triple and missed 2B was not out if F4 had the ball and, without appealing, tripped over 2B before throwing the ball to F1. But if the BR had missed 1B (yes, I know it's not officially a force, but it applied in Fed), then an accidental touch of the base would have resulted in an out.