Never touched the base (two pitches)

[sir_eldren]

There's more than one person out there who's sitting there scratching his head over why a person who never touched second can not be throw out on appeal when he gets to third on the next batted ball and yet an appeal to second (because he never touched it) will be called "safe." It's just odd that you never really have to touch a base in the game if the defense doesn't try to tag you out.

Don't get up in somebody's face because they don't understand an idea that goes against a few of the basic ideas of the game of baseball: touch the bases in order, touch the base so you can't be tagged out, and Touch The Base.

The way I see it is this: You can't have an appeal until a base has been missed, and if he has acquired a base beyond second he has missed the bag. But not until he has advanced has he missed anything.

I understand what all of you are saying, but I just don't think it makes any sense.

So how about a similar situation:
A runner on second has a nice leadoff, the batter hits one foul. He walks towards second but never touches it. The next ball is hit short to the outfield and he makes it to third. The batter is thrown out at first, and the ball is returned to the pitcher. The second baseman, understanding the rule about having to touch up on a foul ball tells the pitcher to throw him the ball. He steps on the bag and the base umpire calls what?

-Craig