[greymule]

Freix: Their claim of abandonment is interesting. To me, if a batter hits a fly ball to center field and starts walking back toward the 3B dugout, but then F8 drops the ball, the batter can still turn around and run to 1B. But according to them, he abandoned effort and would be out. And in that case, why wait for F8 to catch the ball? Call the BR out as soon as he takes a few steps toward the dugout.

On the play you mention, I would rule that the BR reinstated the force by retreating toward home and that only 1B need be tagged. However, I'd be careful to use terminology other than "force." By the way, I've seen that play happen, and for what it's worth, the umps called an out when the base was tagged.

Otherwise, I cannot think of a single play in which interpreting the BR as being "forced" to 1B on a ground ball would change a ruling.