Missed base and appeal.

[Justme]

Originally Posted by Peruvian

It doesn't support an accidental appeal. The FED's feeling is that if he missed the base and F3 subsequently touched the bag, he is out because of the force play. (8.2.3)

FED Case Book

8.2.3 Situation A: B1 hits a slow roller to F5 and arrives safely but misses first base. F3 catches the ball with his foot off the base and casually steps on first base, though he believes the runner has beaten the throw.

RULING: B1 is out. Because a force play is being made on the runner and is the result of continuing action, F3 is required to appeal the missed base and does so by stepping on the missed base.

[mbyron]

8.2.3A is obviously the work of a committee, as it fails to square with the usual FED understanding of an appeal.

I wouldn't be surprised if this is on the Rules Committee's agenda - somewhere beneath the rule about white threads on the pitcher's glove.

[greymule]

Remember that in Fed it was actually an "accidental force play," not an "accidental appeal," although it often looked like an appeal.

If a batter hit a triple and missed 2B, there was no automatic out if a fielder with the ball happened to trip over 2B. The fielder had to make a definite appeal to the umpire.

But if a runner was on 1B and on a hit missed 2B on his way to 3B, then (because he was forced to 2B) he was out if a fielder with the ball happened to step on 2B when running the ball in.

At any rate, I thought Fed did away with the accidental force play a couple of years ago. If they did, then I would think the missed bag at 1B would then be treated as in OBR.