ASA Rules Question From Prospective Ump

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by greymule

I remember calling it once, after the BR touched 1B but saw F10 under his pop in short RF. He retreated back down the 1B line, but F10 dropped the ball. The BR tried to make it to 1B, but the throw beat him.

I can't remember having that call any other time.

It's most likely to happen on a play like this:

Abel on 1B, no outs. Baker hits a liner to short RF. Abel runs and touches 2B as F10 dives for the ball but traps it. Abel thinks F10 caught the ball and starts to return to 1B. F10 throws to F6 at 2B for the force out on Abel, even though Abel had touched 2B.

The only time I've called it was in a tourney. R1 was stealing on a pop to right. She was past the normal F6 position when coach started yelling, "Back, back!!!" She almost made it to first when the ball ended up not being caught. She was thrown out rather easily at 2nd. It took the coach about 15 seconds to come out to argue - apparently they discussed it in the dugout before realizing they thought they had a beef. Protested the call and everything, delayed the whole rest of the day as the TD didn't know where to find that ruling, and no one (other than me) was satisfied with just the definition under "Force Play". Took a phone call and about a half hour to sort out.

[greymule]

Here's a related play. How would you call it?

Abel on 3B, Baker on 1B, 2 outs. Charles lines a hit to right field. Abel scores. As F4 takes the throw from F10, Baker stops on 2B, Charles stops on 1B. As F4 is walking the ball in, Baker, wrongly assuming time is out since play appears to be stopped, goes back toward 1B to retrieve his hat. F4 tags Baker, and since time wasn't called, you call Baker out for the third out.

Does Abel's run count?