FED appeal situation

[JJ]

FED Appeal question. Batter 2 triples with two out but misses first base. The defense does NOT appeal - instead they ask for intentional walks to Batter 3 and Batter 4. AFTER the bases are loaded BUT BEFORE THE NEXT PITCH, the defense appeals Batter 2's missing first base. Do you honor the appeal? The rule says to honor the appeal "Before the next pitch, legal or illegal", and since no pitch has been thrown they want the appeal. How do you justify NOT honoring the appeal, if that's the way you go?

Yes, I think the rule needs some "cleaning up" for 2003.