Travesty to the game

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

No - "travesty of the game" appears exactly once in the rulebook. And it's not under the section called "ridiculously excessive appeals."

PS - some umpires will misunderstand this statement to mean that ANY running of the bases in reverse order is illegal because it makes a travesty of the game. Much the contrary - the rulebook provides for an out if the PURPOSE of the runner running the bases backward was to make a travesty of the game.

If you want to get into a reading and writing contest...you would probably win...since this isn't a writing and reading contest...I know that nearly everybody on here realizes the spirit of what I was writing. Other than an appeal situation where a runner would be running the bases backward in an effort to retouch...which we all know...when else, during play, wouldn't running the bases backward be creating a travesty? Also, I can think of a million things as a coach I could do to create a travesty of the game by excessively appealing...therefore, I direct your attention to Rule 9.01 (c) which states: Each umpire has authority to rule on any point not specifically covered in these rules.

While I see your points sir..and yes, I'm not an attorney, journalist, or other professional writer, my writing probably should be more precise...but this isn't a board where we pick apart others' writing, but rather share ideas...if we want to quiz each other on rules and what's written verbatim in the rule book, then let's start a thread and we'll bounce rule questions back and forth until the cows come home.

[mcrowder]

Guess you missed the smiley ... but that's ok. I'll live.

Didn't mean to ruffle the feathers ... but I do think it's important to note that "travesty of the game" doesn't cover random events. We've all run across umpires that use that phrase as a crutch to make up rulings where they don't know the rule. Perhaps I overreacted some, as it's a pet peeve of mine to see that phrase thrown around where it doesn't belong.

Incidentally, a runner in a run down runs the bases in reverse order without it being a travesty. Also, it's completely conceivable for a runner to inadvertently overrun a base in reverse and be forced to retreat to another base to avoid being tagged out, without it being a travesty.

[LMan]

Last J/R I read authoritatively opined that the B/R could retreat back to the plate before he is subject to being called out. Assuming he observes all other baserunning rules in the meantime, of course.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Running back toward the plate is not a travesty. Misapplying the rule in this case is.