Ball 4, You're Out?

[BayStateRef]

Babe Ruth game (14-year-olds)

Tie score. Bottom 7th. Two out. Runner on third. 3-0 count. Next pitch bounces in dirt (Ball 4) and gets away from catcher. R3 scores. Batter/runner heads for first as teammates come out from first base dugout to celebrate win. Batter/runner never reaches first base, instead joining his teammates who are on the grass between home and first. Players line up to "congratulate" other team.

What is the proper ruling? (And please cite the rule to support this.) If batter/runner is out, at what point does the umpire call it? Must the defense tag the runner? If not, at what point does the umpire rule the batter/runner out?

[LMan]

J/R calls this 'desertion.' See related rules comments:

6.09
The batter becomes a runner when --
(a) He hits a fair ball;
(b) The third strike called by the umpire is not caught, providing (1) first base is unoccupied, or (2) first base is occupied with two out;
Rule 6.09(b) Comment: A batter who does not realize his situation on a third strike not caught, and who is not in the process of running to first base, shall be declared out once he leaves the dirt circle surrounding home plate.


This specifically references a D3K, but applies (as I understand it) to any situation where the batter becomes a runner.

[UMP25]

Because the batter never reached first base and was the final out of the inning, no run may score on a play involving this batter. Therefore, R3's run is nullified. The umpire can declare the batter-runner out when he believes, in layman's terms here, that the B-R no longer made any effort to continue to first base. Some may call this abandonment, but the J/R manual refers to it as desertion. I suppose that's splitting hairs, but to make it easier to understand: did the B-R give up his advance to first and not reach it? If yes, he's out--final out, no runs score.

As far as which rule covers this run being nullified, refer to 4.09(b) for more information.

[ctblu40]

Also consider the casebook comments in OBR under 7.08(a)-

7.08
Any runner is out when --
(a) (1) He runs more than three feet away from a direct line between bases to avoid being tagged unless his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball; or (2) after touching first base, he leaves the baseline, obviously abandoning his effort to touch the next base;

Rule 7.08(a) Comment: Any runner after reaching first base who leaves the baseline heading for his dugout or his position believing that there is no further play, may be declared out if the umpire judges the act of the runner to be considered abandoning his efforts to run the bases. Even though an out is called, the ball remains in play in regard to any other runner.
This rule also covers the following and similar plays: Less than two out, score tied last of ninth inning, runner on first, batter hits a ball out of park for winning run, the runner on first passes second and thinking the home run automatically wins the game, cuts across diamond toward his bench as batter-runner circles bases. In this case, the base runner would be called out “for abandoning his effort to touch the next base” and batter-runner permitted to continue around bases to make his home run valid. If there are two out, home run would not count (see Rule 7.12). This is not an appeal play.
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 declared out for abandoning the bases.

[LMan]

sounds like BayState's boy forgot to run to 1B

[BayStateRef]

I am a (very) occassional fill-in umpire, so I am not fully versed in all the lingo. I don't know what J/R is. My Little League Rule Book is the 2004 version, so there may be updates. But I find the following:

6.09 (b) A batter forfeits his opportunity to advance to first base when he enters the dugout or other dead ball area.

I knew this rule. But the batter never entered a dead ball area. Does that matter?

If it is not specifically covered in LL rules, then do the MLB rules apply? I see these rules are much more specific and seem to properly cover this situation:

4.09
(a) EXCEPTION: A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made ... (3) by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases.
Rule 4.09(b) PENALTY: If, with two out, the batter-runner refuses to advance to and touch first base, the umpire shall disallow the run, call out the offending player, and order the game resumed.

Rule 4.09(b) specifically refers to a two-out, bases-loaded situation.

I am troubled by this play, since if this happened on the 2-0 pitch and the run scored on the wild pitch, there would be no doubt that the run counts and the game is over.

[ctblu40]

First of all Babe Ruth, Little League and Official Baseball Rules published by The Sporting News are all different codes. There are only slight differences, but differences none the less.

Secondly, the batter/runner in this sitch (if I'm understanding your original post) never accepted his award of first base. In other words, he chose not to run the bases, thus abandoned his effort to run the bases. He shall be declared out. No run scores. Game continues.


Find the OBR at http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/of...info/index.jsp
On the left side of the page.

[LMan]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

I am troubled by this play, since if this happened on the 2-0 pitch and the run scored on the wild pitch, there would be no doubt that the run counts and the game is over.

No run can score if the batter-runner is out prior to reaching 1B (when the batter becomes a runner), regardless of method (tag, touch, desertion, strikeout, etc). So in the above you are correct, if the count had been 2-0. But it wasn't.

Why are you troubled? It's quite cut-and-dry.

[PeteBooth]

Originally Posted by BayStateRef

Babe Ruth game (14-year-olds)

Tie score. Bottom 7th. Two out. Runner on third. 3-0 count. Next pitch bounces in dirt (Ball 4) and gets away from catcher. R3 scores. Batter/runner heads for first as teammates come out from first base dugout to celebrate win. Batter/runner never reaches first base, instead joining his teammates who are on the grass between home and first. Players line up to "congratulate" other team.

What is the proper ruling? (And please cite the rule to support this.) If batter/runner is out, at what point does the umpire call it? Must the defense tag the runner? If not, at what point does the umpire rule the batter/runner out?

The others have given you the rule and authoritative opinion on the subject at hand but now reality.

When the winning run scores, we get to go home no need to go to extra innings, therefore, as soon as you see his teammates start to come out you put a stop to it right away. Something along the lines of:

"Gentlemen stay in the dugout until the game is Over"

That statement alone will get the attention of the BR to make certain he touches first base.

This year HS has made it a point of emphasis to keep players in the dugout until the game is over. HS doesn't even want players coming out on Home-Runs either. Also, in the above situation given FED rules, ALL runners have to fulfill their base running obligations not just R3 and the BR.

When it's time to Go Home make certain you go home.

Pete Booth