How would you rule?

[greymule]

From my reading of the ASA case book and rule book, I believe that a live-ball appeal for a missed base can be made immediately upon the miss. In other words, if a runner slides past home plate without touching it, F2 can immediately step on home and appeal to the umpire. F2 does not have to tag the runner.

I also assume that this applies to a miss at any base. For example, if a runner trying to steal 2B managed to avoid the tag but by doing so also slid past 2B without touching it, the fielder could immediately tag the base and appeal to the umpire. Of course, this is largely theoretical, since the fielder by instinct would almost certainly tag the runner.

But the implications could affect the following play:

Abel on 3B, Baker on 1B, 2 out. Charles hits a ground ball to F6, who throws wide to 2B. F4, drawn away the bag and unable to reach it, attempts to tag the sliding Baker. Abel scores. Baker avoids the tag and also slides past 2B without touching it. F4 now dives over 2B and tags Baker, who is lying past the bag, clearly unsuccessful in his bid to reach back and touch it.

The umpire calls Baker out and rules that the run scores, since the play became a tag play once Baker passed 2B.

So the defense appeals Baker's miss of 2B.

Do you uphold the appeal and nullify the run?