If a coach says "What about the runners leaving earlier?" to me, my response would be "What about them?" While I agree CI states to give the coach the options, I don't recall reading that wording anywhere else in the rules. It's not my job to tell a coach how to appeal. However, if he says he wants to appeal, I'll get the info I need to rule on the appeal:

Coach: "What abut the runners leaving earlier?"
Me: "What about them?"
C: "They left the base too early."
M: "Which runner?"
C: "The one at first base."
M: "So, you're appealing the runner at first left the base early and didn't tag up?"
C: "Yes."
M: "Okay." (rules on the appeal)

Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that the coach knows the runners left early?

Is there any doubt that he has let the umpires know that he thinks the runners left early?

So why isn't that unmistakable?

Can a coach do a dead ball appeal in FED?

The WHY deny the "appeal"? Seems to me people are somehow requiring the coach to utter some magic phrase about it.

I agree that no "magic phrase" is required. Heck, if I see / hear a coach trying to get his team to appeal, I'll often just ask, "Coach, what are you trying to do?"

In the OP, however, it is NOT clear to me that the coach knew both runners left early.

And to me that's the key: it's clear THAT he wants to appeal, but not clear WHICH runner he's appealing.

Bob and mbyron

1) I did say it was confusing

2) On the other hand, the OP did say the coach used runners (plural) both times.

So he was appeaing two runners at the same time?

If he was appealing 2 runners, he can't in one sentence as far as I'm comncerned. the appeal has to be specific, does it not? Or are we going to allow "I appeal everyone on base left too early and missed a base", then letting me chose who to call out?

Further, sometime in this sequence the OP said the defense left the field, I believe after the first out was given on appeal. Once the defense leaves, as you all well know, it's not possible for further appeals.

and jkumpire too:

You mean I can't say, in one sentence, "I'm appealing that R2 and R3 both left early"?


You expect me to believe that's not valid?

I would say that's valid. I'd also say jk's example *might* be valid. I can see in my minds eye a play where it is valid, and a play where the coach is just fishing, or using it as an opportunity to "complain" about the umpiring, etc. In that instance, I would make him be more specific, and then begin to deny the complaints as allowed (and then, likely, have to run the manager).

Is that what he said?

He said:

"If he was appealing 2 runners, he can't in one sentence as far as I'm comncerned."

Or is my English comprehension somehow lacking?

I was referring to the coach, who, according to the umpire who was there said: ""was there a catch and if so why didn't runners tag"?"

Is that a valid appeal of two runners?

Well, then you quoted the wrong post.

And there were two different coach question references in the OP - how about the second one?

No, I quoted the post I meant to post. Sorry if it's not the one you wanted.

I don't believe the that quote is a valid appeal of one runner, much less two.

I asked two questions:

You mean I can't say, in one sentence, "I'm appealing that R2 and R3 both left early"?

and


You expect me to believe that's not valid?



And that's what you quoted in the response.

So given the confusion as to what referred to what,

So please answer my questions above.

And BTW yes, in the original OP I really think he was appealing both runners.