Missed Base Appeal with a Twist

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by teebob21

Oooh I like conceptual situations like this. I'm posting this on the fly, without a book, so feel free to correct any errors in rule application.

I'd like to eliminate the TWP elements but they're pivotal to the situation. If we had just one runner, we could even imagine R1 obstructed at any other base without touching...but that complicates things since she is unlikely to fail to retouch after the OBS.

A runner passing the plate is assumed to have touched it. We don't have the automatic out for passing a leading runner. I've never come across a case play in any code where a following runner "passes" a leading runner at the plate...probably because there is simply no remaining basepath on which R2 can pass R1 after the plate. This situation simply removes the ability of R1 to return to legally touch on her own. No matter if the ball is live or dead during the appeal, I think we kill the play as necessary and make the OBS award of HP for R1. Speaking USA/ASA, appeals are defined as a play, so dead or alive, this is a play on an OBS runner that would normally result in an out: We kill it and award R1 home.

The runner is then obligated to touch all awarded bases. If she doesn't, we have a different can of worms....one with an easy rules application of an out. Give R1 the opportunity to complete the base running, and then entertain an appeal if she does not.

Here's where I can see this getting hairy: can we award bases to players that have been prevented from retouching by rule (having a following runner score)??? I think this is the key point, and I have no idea why we can, but know of no rule saying we can't. This is the one situation where coaches's annoying tendency to tell players to "stay on the base" while the coach argues the call might be valid....could we still award bases to a player who left live-ball territory?

Second question (slightly off topic): If an OBS runner touches a base BEFORE the OBS award is given, does that count as touching awarded bases? Or are they required to touch after the award is granted/announced?

Just to screw with you at a different level ....

Assuming you want R1 to return and touch the missed base, can you allow and accept that AFTER the following runner R2 has touched and scored?