Quote:
Originally Posted by UmpireErnie
ASA seems a bit dicier. ASA 8-5G (2) on page 88 says that a runner cannot return once she has touched the first awarded base beyond the base missed or left-too-soon,.... Once the umpire verbally makes the award, and the runner has touched the next base beyond the base missed or left-too-soon, she may not return. The defense may appeal and the runner be ruled out.
|
Actually, it does not say that. It states that the runner may not return to touch a base left too soon or a missed base once the runner has advanced to the "next awarded base." There is a difference.
Quote:
I can’t find anything in print about the situation where R1 passes the BR who is on 3B after the ball goes out of play and R1 is going back to touch the missed 2B. The BR having to retreat to 2B so R1 can follow her and touch 2B makes sense, I guess in effect because her teammate missed 2B and still has “base running duties to perform” then the BR also still has “base running duties to perform” and could also retreat to 2B even though she had not herself missed a base or left-too-soon. Following all of that running around, the award would be made based on the runners location at the time of the throw not where they ended up after all this extra curricular activity.
But if R1 returns to 2B and passes the BR who does not backtrack ahead of R1 well then I just don’t know. ASA 8-7-D deals with passing another runner but says “the ball remains alive” so this appears to be only talking about passing another runner during a live ball and while running the bases in normal i.e. forward order. Still it does not seem as if R1s return to 2B is proper if she passes the BR at 3B to do it.
|
Talking about making something dicier
There is something in writing and you already cited it. As noted, "the ball remains live" or "the ball is live" simply tells the umpire and teams that this call does not cause a dead ball.
Personally, I like it this way as it keeps all runners and action in proper order and perspective. The rule is always applicable in the same manner, not one ruling for a dead ball and one for a live ball.