APPEAL PLAYS: PART ONE
We are simplifying the concept of appeal plays to its core.
Embedded Files
RULE 5.09(c) Appeal Plays
Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when:
(1) After a fly ball is caught, he fails to retouch his original base before he or his original base is tagged;
(2) With the ball in play, while advancing or returning to a base, he fails to touch each base in order before he, or a missed base, is tagged;
(4) He fails to touch home base and makes no attempt to return to that base, and home base is tagged.
(3) He overruns or overslides first base and fails to return to the base immediately, and he or the base is tagged prior to the runner returning to first base;
These are base-running rules that every umpire knows.
For Rule (3), a better way to describe "overruns or overslides" is the batter-runner runs/slides through the base, as they would on a typical grounder that they beat out. Presumably there's a reason the rule-makers want the batter-runner to return "immediately" to the base. Rule (3) rarely comes into play.
DEFINITION: An APPEAL is the act of a fielder in claiming violation of the [base-running] rules by the offensive team.
An appeal should be clearly intended as an appeal, either by a verbal request by the player or an act that unmistakably indicates an appeal to the umpire.
After a play (or during a play), the defense can say, "Hang on. That runner missed that base." We are going to reference this red lettering in regard to the common occurrence of runners being "doubled off" when a fly ball is caught, and it's very important.
RULE 5.09 (d) - Effect of Preceding Runner’s Failure to Touch a Base
Unless two are out, the status of a following runner is not affected by a preceding runner’s failure to touch or retouch a base. If, upon appeal, the preceding runner is the third out, no runners following him shall score. If such third out is the result of a force play, neither preceding nor following runners shall score.
When a fielder appeals for the umpire’s decision, the runner is out when the umpire sustains the appeal; all runners may score if possible... except that with two out the runner is out at the moment he misses the bag.
Rule 5.08 Comment: APPROVED RULING: No run shall score during a play in which the third out is made by the batter-runner before he touches first base.
A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made (1) by the batter-runner before he touches first base; (2) by any runner being forced out; or (3) by a preceding runner who is declared out because he failed to touch one of the bases.
This red box has everything you will need to remember.
GOLDEN RULES:
APPEAL PLAY IS FIRST OR SECOND OUT:
You have little to think about. Make a ruling on the appeal and move on.
APPEAL PLAY IS THE THIRD OUT:
If the appealed base-running mistake was a force-out*** in the original play, no runs will score. Force plays are your best friend.
If the appealed base-running mistake was not a force-out in the original play, all runners behind the base runner who made the mistake cannot score.
If the appealed base-running mistake is a play where a fielder catches a fly ball and is attempting to hurriedly throw to a base because a runner took off at the crack of the bat, all runners ahead of that base runner on the base path will be allowed to score if they can cross the plate before the "doubling off" act is completed. This is a "time play," in umpire lingo.
The force-out golden rule is easy to remember. (see bottom of page for ***note)
When a non-force-out appeal play is the third out of the inning, no one behind that runner on the base path can score. That base was poisoned by the runner when he made the base-running mistake during the play. All runners behind him on the base path reached his poisoned base and were not allowed to run past it. However, runners ahead of that base-running mistake never encountered the poison and their runs count if they cross the plate before the actual appeal of the missed base is made.
Runners hurrying back to their base after they see a fly ball has been caught IS NOT A FORCE PLAY. It's an appeal play. The act of the defense hurriedly throwing to the base to "double off" the runner is an "act that unmistakably indicates an appeal to the umpire."
MLB players rarely make mistakes when rounding the bases. MLB appeal plays are mostly on "tag-ups" and runners incorrectly running the bases in reverse order. Missed bases are common in lower levels of baseball, however.
QUICK QUIZ
TIP: The Golden Rules in the red box answer all of these.
Two outs. Bases loaded. Batter hits a home run over the fence for a grand slam. But he missed first base while rounding the bases. After the play, the defense appeals the base-running mistake. How many runs score?
Zero. No run shall score during a play in which the third out is made by the batter-runner before he touches first base.
Two outs. Bases loaded. Batter hits a home run over the fence for a grand slam. R3 (the runner at third) does not touch home plate. After the play, the defense appeals the missed base. How many runs score?
Zero. A run is not scored if the runner advances to home base during a play in which the third out is made by any runner being forced out.
One out. R2 on second base. R1 on first base. The Batter hits an inside-the-park home run. R2 fails to touch third on his way to the plate. R1 and the Batter come around and score. The defense holds the ball on third and appeals the missed base. How many runs score?
Two runs score. When the appealed base is not the third out of the inning, it has no effect on the other runners.
One out. R3 on third base. R2 on second base. The Batter flies out to center. Two outs. R3 scores after catch and R2 scores on a bad throw to the plate. But R3 did not legally tag up on the fly-out. The defense appeals he left early. How many runs score?
No runs score. The appealed base is the third out of the inning. When R3 failed to tag up, he poisoned that base for all runners behind him.
One out. R3 on third base. R1, on first base, is stealing on the pitch. The batter flies out to right field. Two outs. R3 tags up and scores after the catch. R1 attempted to return to first, but the right fielder’s throw beat him to the base. Three outs. But R3 scored before the throw reached first base. Does R3's run count?
This is a time play. R3 scored before the appeal was completed, so the run counts.
If you've aced this quiz, go to APPEAL PLAYS: PART TWO to see the appeals process in action and some advanced concepts.
The force-out*** is a matter of semantics. The OBR rulebook really goes out of its way to make sure it never calls the batter-runner running to first base a force play. Technically, the batter-runner advancing toward first base forces the OTHER runners off their bases (runner on first would be forced to second, et cetera). You've watched/played baseball your whole life knowing runs do not count on a play where the third out of an inning is a force-out, and this includes the batter-runner reaching first base safely. Don't overthink it.
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