To uphold or deny?

[SAump]

Originally Posted by lawump

Bunch of umpire guys kick off the season each year by have a big dinner together at a local restaurant after our FED test. Last night was that night. During the evening one umpire shared a play he had last year, and asked if he "got it right."

The play resulted in a spirited debate. I am going to post the play, and NOT tell you my opinion. I am interested in your opinions.

FED RULES: R3. Batter hits the ball out in front of the plate. R3 comes far down the line. F2 fields the ball, and sees he has a play on R3. R3 sprints back toward third base. R3 goes back into third base standing up. He actually is going back so quickly, that he cannot stop at the bag, but rather steps on third base and continues several steps past the bag, and is standing on the outfield side of the bag. R3 is clearly going to be out, except F2 throws the ball all the way to the left field corner. R3 turns around and sprints for home (remember, he is standing two good steps on the outfield side of third base). He runs completely in foul territory and never touches third base on his way home. Defense appeals that the runner missed third base.

Do you uphold or deny the appeal? FED? OBR?

It wouldn't be any different if he skirts fair territory just inside the 3rd baseline.

Appeal denied, R3 is standing on 3B at TOP. How can he miss the base?

[johnnyg08]

Great thread...so what do we tell the def-coach in our OBR games when he wants the appeal? Please offer an explanation...I've read all of the posts at least twice...I'm just wondering on what grounds we can deny the appeal in OBR...the coach will want an explanation and "I saw it on officiating.com" is probably not the best one I could give him. Thank you.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Great thread...so what do we tell the def-coach in our OBR games when he wants the appeal? Please offer an explanation...I've read all of the posts at least twice...I'm just wondering on what grounds we can deny the appeal in OBR...the coach will want an explanation and "I saw it on officiating.com" is probably not the best one I could give him. Thank you.

Tell him there is no "missed base" because the runner could not legally retreat past 3rd. He was not obligated to touch 3rd again.

[jicecone]

Once a runner aquires the right to a base, he has fulfilled his obligation for touching the base whether advancing or returning and therefore can not miss thed base he already touched.

In Fed? "Please read Situation #9 coach and direct all questions to NFHS, maybe they can explain it better."

The way I am understaning this now, (and I may be wrong), in the OP had the returning runner missed 3b when returning and then again when heading for home, you would still deny the appeal. If this is different please supply a reference.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jicecone

The way I am understanding this now, (and I may be wrong), in the OP had the returning runner missed 3b when returning and then again when heading for home, you would still deny the appeal. If this is different please supply a reference.

For FED, R1 (on third) is out on appeal. The reference is Situation 9: "Ruling: R1 is out on the valid defensive appeal."

For all other codes: deny the appeal.

[lawump]

For what it is worth, the runner was called out. As was pointed out above, the runner was called out at the end of the play (and not on appeal) because we have no appeal plays in SC.

Also, for what it is worth, I have read through this thread several times and I now have doubts...but prior to this thread I definitely would have called R3 out on appeal had this occurred in a game when I was in MiLB.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts.

[johnnyg08]

I was reading through some FED interps on NFHS.com last night and saw this exact play posted in there on their official 2010 interps document that has 20 sample case plays. NFHS interp states that the runner must retouch 3B or be called out on appeal.

[cviverito]

Originally Posted by lawump

because we have no appeal plays in SC.

Waaaaahuh? You mean...none? At all? For anything?