Quote:
Originally posted by greymule
But what if the play does not involve that type of advance:
Abel hits a dribbler in front of the plate. F2 fields it and throws the ball wild over F3. As the ball rolls down the line into foul territory, Abel misses 1B. Abel rounds 2B, and the ball then goes out of play. We say, "Dead ball." Abel goes back to 2B and stands there. We award 2B. Can Abel now go back to touch 1B? If not, is it because he stopped and we have decided the play is over? In the other play, where the runner around 2B is awarded home, starts toward 3B, and then returns at the coach's direction to touch 1B, is he allowed to return because he never stopping moving enough to end the play?
[Edited by greymule on Mar 19th, 2003 at 12:11 PM]
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When the ball is ruled dead, the umpire hesitates to see if the runner is going to react and retouch the missed base or base left too soon. If the coach is in the process of telling him/her to return, you are also going to allow that as long as SOMETHING in that fashion is occuring prior to you judging all action is obviously over.
At that point, the umpire announces the award. The "next base" is the next base touched when not returning to retouch any base. If a runner is standing on an awarded base AFTER the award is announced, they have obviously fulfilled that part of the rule which prohibits a runner from legally returning to retouch any base. After this base is touched or passed, any return by the runner is NOT valid and to be ignored by the umpire when ruling on a possible appeal.
The next question will be: But the book says that if the runner advances "to and passes", not touch. That comment would be correct. However, if the runner touches the "next base" and stands there, just how long are you going to wait until you move on with the ball game? If the defense then appeals, if you are going to support this argument, then you must let the runner return and retouch the questioned base.