Bucs vs Nats...attempted advance toward 2nd?

[Dave Reed]

Where we seem to differ here is the meaning of "overrun or overslide". IMO, in the context of this rule, these are not synonyms for "went past". Instead, the runner needs to be trying to reach 1st base as his primary goal, i.e. trying to beat a real or imagined throw. Note that Evans interprets this rule as not applying to a runner who was awarded a base on balls, because the B/R has (usually) no reason to go past first base. He can decelerate before he reaches the bag. FED (8-2-7) explicitly excludes a base on balls. The point of 7.08(j) is to allow the runner to reach 1st base as quickly as he can.

In the OP, the runner wasn't trying to beat a throw, and he did move toward 2nd base. Nor was the move toward 2nd part of the return to 1st.

Regarding your point 2, of course the runner didn't violate any rule; he simply was tagged while off the base and the provisions of 7.08(j) weren't met.

[jicecone]

Dave , if you were talking about building a bridge or sending a man to the moon, I would enter this discussion with great interest however, we are discussing the game of Baseball. (MLB).

You have entered into a intellectual level of discussion and interpretation that far exceeds the participants, officials, managers, rule makers, owners and without a doubt, announcers of this game.

There is just no way that same rule book could still exist in the condition it is, with that level of thinking, interpretation and continuous publication, given the infrequent edification that has taken place over the years.

I respect your opinion but, I have to put into the context of the game we are discussing and that's where I'm having a problem.