A bad sitiuation

[Dakota]

As many have already said...

First, this was not an appeal play, so defense leaving fair territory is irrelevant.

Second, this was not a judgment call. The third strike was a judgment call. Ruling the BR out was a misapplication of the third strike rule.

Third, the ruling was corrected and the umpire acted to repair the situation as best as he could. The defense did not earn the out; they (and especially the catcher) knew the pitch was not caught, and knew (or should have known) the BR was not out regardless of what the umpire said. They chose to try to get away with one and did not.

Fourth, the idea that once an umpire calls a runner out that the call cannot be changed is false.

Fifth, it is not "rewarding" the offense. It is correcting the erroneous call that placed the offense in jeopardy.