Dead ball appeal

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

At which point is it too late to correct her mistake?
As soon as ball is in circle?

Sort of... not really, but sort of... (it's not the ball in the circle that makes it too late, it's her being stopped on a base when the ball is in the circle that makes it too late).

As soon as time is called?

Definitely.

If the ball gets to the circle a split-second after she hits 3B, she'll be out on a LBR violation if she tries to fix it then, no?

Sort of...

PU, when time is requested, should pause until all action is completed, however no more action could legally happen at this point, correct?

Assuming the runner is ON third, and stopped, then yes, PU can call time.

One minor thing on your LBR assumption and your "as soon as the ball is in the circle" part. If the runner here is already stopped on the base when the pitcher gets the ball, then your assumptions are right. But the "if the ball gets to the circle a split second after she hits 3B" part... the runners don't have to stop. If she hits 3rd, and rounds a bit, play is not over. The runner, once she stops moving forward, must decide which way to go. If that is back toward 3rd, she CAN continue running back to 2nd, assuming she doesn't again stop on third base.

Yes, it's a nit... but the way this read (to me at least) seemed to make a couple of assumptions that might not always be true.

[jmkupka]

Thanks, this makes it a bit clearer. This situation has never arisen for me (runner correcting her mistake before a dead-ball appeal can be ruled on), but it will someday.
Basically, it couldn't ever happen because:
a) I can't call time until she's done running around, and
b) She can't run back after I call time.

If I'm being dense here, could you give me a sit in which it does happen?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Thanks, this makes it a bit clearer. This situation has never arisen for me (runner correcting her mistake before a dead-ball appeal can be ruled on), but it will someday.
Basically, it couldn't ever happen because:
a) I can't call time until she's done running around, and
b) She can't run back after I call time.

If I'm being dense here, could you give me a sit in which it does happen?

Most runners won't correct their mistakes once they've reached the next base and play is essentially over. And, really, I don't think a runner or her base coach is going to figure out that the reason a defensive coach is requesting time is to initiate a dead-ball appeal. Most defensive coaches aren't going to preface a time request by blurting out, "HEY, SHE MISSED SECOND! HEY, BLUE, TIME, TIME!"

Frankly, I'm surprised by your comment, "DC calls TIME (inexperience, or whatever, chooses not to use a live-ball appeal". In softball where dead-ball appeals are recognized, why shouldn't a coach opt to do it that way as opposed to doing a live-ball appeal? I've seen baseball teams screw up live-ball appeals when they fail to throw the ball accurately to the base where they want to make the appeal, or when the pitcher balks while disengaging the rubber. If the dead-ball appeal is available to him/her, the coach should use that option.

[youngump]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Thanks, this makes it a bit clearer. This situation has never arisen for me (runner correcting her mistake before a dead-ball appeal can be ruled on), but it will someday.
Basically, it couldn't ever happen because:
a) I can't call time until she's done running around, and
b) She can't run back after I call time.

If I'm being dense here, could you give me a sit in which it does happen?

I don't think the kind of thing you're imagining can happen. What can happen is this. BR misses first on way to a double. Batted ball enters dead ball territory. Batter is awarded second. We will not accept a dead ball appeal of missing first until she has had an opportunity to correct her baserunning mistake.

[jmkupka]

youngump, yours is definitely a more likely situation:

Long drive lands fair, B/R rounds (and misses) 1B on her way to 2B, hopes nobody saw, then sees she has new life as the ball rolls foul beyond homerun fence. Takes her time retracing her steps as DC is yelling "Appealing she missed 1st, Blue!"

Sorry coach, denied...

[MD Longhorn]

Obstruction could also cause this scenario - a runner who missed their base receiving an award via OBS would have the opportunity to fix their mistake before the defense could appeal.