Doug Eddings calls "Obstruction" on himself; protects runner

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by UMP25

In the MLBUM, there is an example of when an umpire can put a runner improperly tagged out back onto a base. The example cited is R1 on first when the batter walks on ball four but R1 slides into second and is called out by the umpire who apparently didn't realize it was ball four. If R1 begins to leave the field and the defense tags him again because he's walking away from the base, the umpire can call "time" and put him on second because he should have gotten that base in the first place.

Tuff titties. MLB players who haven't learn to never leave the bag ESPECIALLY on a 3 ball count, until the end of the play has been completely decided, deserve what they get. OUT! Hell if I am going to protect them.

[UMP25]

Originally Posted by fitump56

Tuff titties. MLB players who haven't learn to never leave the bag ESPECIALLY on a 3 ball count, until the end of the play has been completely decided, deserve what they get. OUT! Hell if I am going to protect them.

Except that the official ruling in this situation is that such a runner is NOT out, your opinion notwithstanding. Remember, R1 didn't "leave" the bag; he never made it there, which was his right due to B1 being awarded first on a base on balls. The MLBUM specifically says the umpire returns him to the base safely.

Half of me can see how this is very similar to Eddings crashing into Dye; therefore Dye should be protected back to second. The other half of me can see how Dye should, indeed, be called out, because as similar as this is to the R1 being improperly called out situation, it still is a bit different rules-wise.

The remaining half of me wonders if there is, as my colleague Mr. Jenkins above mentions, some internal memo to which we're not privy.