Making a play on a runner who reaches and passes first base...

[DG]

Originally posted by ozzy6900
Batter Walks
FED 8-2-6 A batter-runner who reaches 1st base safely then overruns or overslides may immediately return without liability of being put out provided he does not attempt or feint an advance to 2nd. A player who is awarded 1st base on a base on balls does not have this right. (my emphasis)

OBR 7.08 (c) EXCEPTION A batter runner cannot be tagged out after overrunning or oversliding 1st base if he returns immediately to the base.

There is no reference made in OBR as there is in FED to a batter runner who walks so you cannot impose any penalty. However, the J/R states that if a batter runner attains 1st base on a base on balls and steps off on the home plate side of 1st, the batter runner can be tagged out (2004 BRD). I would not want to call that one!

Batter Runner Gets a Hit
Under all codes, the batter runner is liable to be put out if he feints an attempt to 2nd base.You (the umpire) are the judge of the attempt, not the coaches. If you determine that a valid attempt or feint was made then the batter runner can be put out via a tag play. The key to remember is that it is the umpire is the sole judge here!

Whether the runner came directly back to 1B, or made any attempt to advance is not a hard decision. Especially compared to many other decisions that come up during a game.