"When he headed for the dugout" - abandonment should require judgement involving reasonable distance to the duguout, and no intent to advance. Is the pitching mound reasonable distance, probably not. Did the runner have no intent to advance, probably not, since he tried once he realized. If the ball went dead when it went over F3's head, I would rule R1 out if he had made no effort to advance prior to ball going dead. If the ball did not go dead then R1 may advance to 3b if he showed intent to correct his baserunning error, and was no farther to the dugout than the pitcher's mound.

An established baseline has everything to do with this play. You may choose to believe that Evans interpretation doesn't count for much, but you'll find the rest of us hold his assessments in very high regard. As others have said, it's a judgment as to whether or not the runner has abandoned all efforts to run the bases. Evans gives us a little insight on this with the following.


PLAY: Runner, believing he is called out on a tag at first or third base starts for the dugout and progresses a reasonable distance still indicating by his actions that he is out, shall be out for abandoning the bases.



I have to believe that the reason Steve mentioned the baseline criteria was to illustrate that by simply leaving the three foot basepath restriction the runner is not to be called out for that act alone. This only applies when he's attempting to avoid a tag. This is an often missapplied rule, as many inexperienced umpires will call a runner out for moving more than three feet out of a direct line between the bases when there isn't a tag attempt.

Evans further clarifies different criterion for determining when to call a runner out for abandonment depending on the last base they legally held.



7.08(a.2) - Common sense dictates that the only logical reason a player would abandon 1st base after overrunning it would be because he thought he had been declared out by the umpire. The player should not be penalized for an umpire's improper signaling or incorrect mechanic. Therefore, the runner should not be automatically called out if he temporarily leaves the extended basepath. A player who leaves the infield area abandoning the base paths between 1st base and 3rd base may be declared out once he leaves fair territory. If a play is being made on him, however, he is subject to the guidelines established in 7.08(a.1)...he must be advancing toward a base and cannot go more than three feet out of his direct line to avoid a tag. A runner who leaves 3rd base for any reason is not out until he enters a dugout when no play is being made on him. He shall be declared out for abandoning the base paths if a play is being made on him and (1) he is not making a bona fide effort to reach home plate or return to 3rd; or (2) he runs more than three feet out of his direct line to avoid a tag. A batter-runner who inexplicably fails to return directly to 1st base after overrunning it shall not be called out before entering the dugout. If he failed to touch the base, he is subject to an appeal play. He can be retired by the defensive team either tagging him or the missed base and making a proper appeal. In trying to get back to 1st base after missing it, the batter-runner must make a legitimate effort to proceed directly to the base. Any circuitous or evasive running which the umpire determines not to be an immediate attempt to reach 1st base shall be grounds for declaring the batter-runner out.



Tim.

Tim -

Nice, clarifying post, especially the word criterion. Nothing like good grammar.