Abandoning?

[MIZFKU]

I was reading the thread on the BR returning to home after a fair ball. And you guys brought up abandonment and that if he didn't touch first, once he returned to home he could be called out. Here is my situation from the other night:

R2 steals 3rd on the pitch. The pitch is a foul tip in which i make the proper mechanic, no vocalization, signal a tip and the strike. the runner reached 3rd but in hearing the ball and the bat he returned to 2nd. His 3rd base coach didn't notice and neither did the defense. I watched him trot back to 2nd unnoticed. He then stole again on the next pitch and reached 3rd again. Did i have an out when he returned to 2nd after his first steal?

[jdmara]

Originally Posted by MIZFKU

I was reading the thread on the BR returning to home after a fair ball. And you guys brought up abandonment and that if he didn't touch first, once he returned to home he could be called out. Here is my situation from the other night:

R2 steals 3rd on the pitch. The pitch is a foul tip in which i make the proper mechanic, no vocalization, signal a tip and the strike. the runner reached 3rd but in hearing the ball and the bat he returned to 2nd. His 3rd base coach didn't notice and neither did the defense. I watched him trot back to 2nd unnoticed. He then stole again on the next pitch and reached 3rd again. Did i have an out when he returned to 2nd after his first steal?

No, not at all. If he is not making a mockery of the game you have nothing but some really unobservant teams. The defense should have tagged him and the coaches on both teams were sleeping as well.

-Josh

[GA Umpire]

Generally, abandonment is called when a runner stops running the bases in any form. Such as going to his defensive position or going back to the dugout. In yours, he is running the bases and he is not causing a travesty of the game. So, no out is given. You definitely do NOT want to make that call in that situation. I can only imagine the storm that will cause.

[JJ]

Did the official scorer credit the runner with two stolen bases?



JJ

[mbyron]

Think of it this way: in your situation, the runner is still a runner whether he is on 2B, on 3B, or in between. During a live ball, he risks being put out, but he's still a runner. In your play he is not forced to advance, so he may return to 2B (as long as you judge that he's not "running the bases in reverse order" to "make a travesty of the game").

In contrast, when the batter hits a fair ball, he becomes a runner. As such, he may run back and forth between 1B and home (for example in a run-down). But once he passes the plate, he is no longer a runner and should be called out. No legitimate base running is possible at that point.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by mbyron

But once he reaches or passes the plate, he is no longer a runner and should be called out. No legitimate base running is possible at that point.

There, fixed your post.