APPEAL PLAYS: PART TWO
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Here is the proper appeal process that must be used by the defense.
Any appeal ... must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play. If the violation occurs during a play which ends a half-inning, the appeal must be made before the defensive team leaves the field.
Successive appeals may not be made on a runner at the same base. If the defensive team on its first appeal errs, a request for a second appeal on the same runner at the same base shall not be allowed by the umpire. (Intended meaning of the word “err” is that the defensive team in making an appeal threw the ball out of play. For example, if the pitcher threw to first base to appeal and threw the ball into the stands, no second appeal would be allowed.)
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. A player, inadvertently stepping on the base with a ball in his hand, would not constitute an appeal. Time is not out when an appeal is being made.
If a pitcher balks when making an appeal, such act shall be a play.
Appeals on a half swing must be made before the next pitch, or any play or attempted play.
An appeal is not to be interpreted as a play or an attempted play.
This simply means the defense can perform more than one appeal in a row.
SUMMARY
In OBR text, the appeal must be made before the next pitch, the next play, or the next attempted play.
Pitch = A pitch from the rubber to a batter. Easy.
Play = An action by the defense that is focused on something other than the appeal request. The OBR text also clarifies that a balk is considered a play. Easy.
Attempted play = The "err" example in the above OBR text. Yes, their focus was on the appeal play and they have not violated number-2 in our list, but they have now lost their ability to request the appeal. An important distinction to make here is that if there is a throwing mishap on the appeal attempt (the throw gets past the first baseman) but the ball remains in play, the first baseman can still go retrieve the thrown ball and complete the appeal.
Notice the red text. "Did he go? Did he offer?" check-swing appeals to a base umpire are considered appeals by the defense, so keep that in mind. Appeal plays are discussed at length on page 50 of the OBR book...and then they sneak in the check-swing appeal rule on page 100...
THE BALL MUST BE LIVE
In OBR text, appeals can only take place when the ball is live.
If a play has completed but the ball is still live, the defensive team can get the umpire's attention and state they are going to appeal that a runner made a mistake running the bases and they will go to the base where the mistake was made and tag it with ball in hand or they can tag the runner they're appealing.
If the ball is dead after the play, the pitcher must get on the rubber with the ball, the umpire signals "Play," and the pitcher must then step off the rubber, let an umpire know what they are appealing, and then complete the appeal.
As the replay eventually shows, the pitcher attempts to make an appeal to first base while the ball is dead. The umpires have no reaction to the throw and probably let him know that the ball is dead and that his throw to first base is meaningless. The announcer is close to understanding the live-ball/dead-ball situation, but not quite there.
Ichiro reaches second base, takes a step back to first base, but does not touch second base on his way back to third. At the conclusion of the play, "time" is called. To show you how rare appeal plays are, the Phillies pitcher is asking the umpire everything he must do to make a successful appeal. He steps on the rubber, and the umpire signals "play" (not shown). The pitcher takes a step off behind the rubber, throws to second base, and makes a successful appeal.
What's the exact definition of a runner "passing" a base? See this diagram from the MLB Umpires Manual.
Remember: It is a live ball, so once the ball is put in play, the runner at third in this clip can attempt to run home. This Angels manager even spends a mound visit to explain the appeal process to his pitcher. At the 1:35 mark, you see the home plate lean forward and give the "play" signal, and the Angels carry out their appeal.
The Astros are afraid their runner at third left early on a tag-up on the previous play. Here, the new runner at third has most likely been told to trick the defense into attempting a play on him so that the defense loses their appeal opportunity. Really heads-up base-coaching if that third-base coach knew his previous runner left early on the tag-up.
The defense thinks the runner missed first base. In a normal live-ball situation, at the conclusion of the play, one of the fielders can simply tell the umpire he thinks the runner missed first base, touch first while in possession of the ball, and then the umpire makes his call. But if the ball is dead for whatever reason – runner called time to dust off after his slide, umpire called time to replace the baseball – the pitcher first must get on the rubber with the ball and the umpire must signal “play” before the defense can make their appeal.
This video picks up right after the ball has been put back in play. The pitcher is on the rubber and is throwing to an unoccupied base. That is a BALK. And since a balk is a “play,” the defense has now lost their chance to make the appeal at first base. The best way for the pitcher to do this is step off the back of the rubber with his pivot foot, tell an umpire he thinks the runner at second missed first base, then throw the ball to his first-baseman on the bag. Let’s give some props to the announcer in this clip. He’s on top of it.
Appeal plays may require an umpire to recognize an apparent “fourth out.” If the third out is made during a play in which an appeal play is sustained on another runner, the appeal play decision takes precedence in determining the out. If there is more than one appeal during a play that ends a half-inning, the defense may elect to take the out that gives it the advantage. For the purpose of this rule, the defensive team has “left the field” when the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory on their way to the bench or Clubhouse.
Runners on second and third. One out.
Line drive to the 1B.
Runners take off on the hit.
First baseman catches line drive. First-base umpire signals the catch. Two outs.
Third baseman receives the throw from the first baseman.
Runner on third base at the beginning of the play crosses the plate and scores.
Third baseman tags the runner standing on third, who is out because it's an obvious appeal -- they are saying he left his base (second base) before the line drive was caught. Three outs.
After tagging the runner, the third baseman also steps on third base. We don't have on-field audio, but he's given no indication that he is appealing the runner originally on third base "left early." Is it "unmistakable" that the third baseman is appealing the runner left early, or is he just stepping on and tagging everything around him and hoping something good happens?
The pitcher and all infielders think the inning is over and leave fair territory.
You notice the runner scores before the third out is made on the appeal play when the third baseman tags the runner. If at least one infielder had remained on the field, the defense would've been allowed to appeal that the runner originally on third "left early," and we would have been treated to the "fourth out." Close Call Sports has a 15-minute breakdown of the situation.
TEACHABLE MOMENT: This is a perfect example of a "time play" that umpires always have to be aware of. The plate umpire undoubtedly lined up the runner crossing home in his vision with the tag at third base, and he must determine if the run scored before or after the tag.
TIPS FOR UMPIRES
As you've seen in every video, appeal plays can be confusing for players. Memorize the golden rules from PART ONE, understand the correct appeals on this page, and you're in really good shape...for a situation that, other than "doubling off" runners on line drives, happens maybe once every 25 games you'll umpire. It doesn't happen often, but you'll be ready for it.
High-school (NFHS) rules allow "verbal appeals" by a manager...and appeals are allowed during a dead ball. Umpires love that.
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