Dead Ball Appeal

[AtlUmpSteve]

I'm not big on making a specific formula for accepting a clear dead ball appeal, but here's a case where we cannot accept the appeal; yet. First, it was a bad live ball appeal which made the ball dead, but, then we cannot accept or rule on a dead ball appeal until all running responsibilities are completed. Since we have an awarded base as a result of a ball being taken out of the field, we have to 1) hesitate and allow a runner to complete running, so I guess we have to allow R1, if s/he is so inclined, to attempt to retrace steps and touch 3rd (although that would not eliminate the out on appeal); then, 2) we must award bases as a result of the ball being carried into dead ball territory. Then, and not before, can we honor a dead ball appeal. At that point, I would probably say something like "now, what is it you were saying before?".

All this according to ASA POE#1. I agree that this is standing on ceremony, as the outcome is predetermined, but, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

[Mountaineer]

Steve, I agree with your original post. How can R1 retrace her steps when she has already entered the dugout? Maybe I'm missing something here.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Steve, I agree with your original post. How can R1 retrace her steps when she has already entered the dugout? Maybe I'm missing something here.

By rule, R1 can't eliminate the missed base once R1 leaves the field of play, but we still must allow all runners to complete their running responsibilities before awarding bases, and then before accepting a dead ball appeal.

You know, and I know, that on appeal, the runner must be out, but, I think we can consider the liklihood that R1 will want to try to retrace his/her steps. My point is that we have to let her, because R1 (and probably R1's coach) thinks R1 has to return at that point. If that foolishly deters the defense from making the appeal, so be it; but, before we award bases, we have to let them finish running. And the dead ball appeal has to wait for all that to be completed; we cannot respond to the effort of F2, despite it being clear what F2 intends.

In most cases, simply wasting time, but that is the process.