Balk with BOT - Question from Germany

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by greymule
I think I see your point, Warren, that the batter did not actually advance to 1B on the base on balls because his at bat disappeared with the out on his teammate who failed to bat. You're considering it all part of the same play.

But to me, BR did advance, and that play ends and another (the appeal) begins. I don't see adding up total mistakes to see which side has the edge. You can make 5 mistakes, and other side can make 1 mistake that gets you off the hook for all 5. Give me some time and I'll think of the play.

It's a good theoretical question, though. I'm surprised more people haven't chipped in. Maybe the crazy popup problem chased them off.

Only the improper batter-runner advanced, greymule. His at bat, and the advance it engendered, was illegal or the appeal would have been denied. That's also why R1 gets returned to 1st base, absent the balk - see 6.07(b.2). Using the balance of errors is only a shorthand way of explaining the logic.

It's a much tougher question than it first appears on the surface. I think you're probably right about the looping problem scaring off other posters. I hope they give the thread a second shot.

Cheers