What is the procedure for making an appeal when a base-runner misses a base?
Question:We had a situation where a base runner hit a double but missed first base. The defensive team after the pitcher had the ball and was on the mound, threw the ball to first and appealed that the runner had missed the base. The field ump called the runner out but the home plate ump over ruled and called the base runner safe because of the way they appealed the call. How are you supposed to appeal and what did the defensive team do that caused them to lose the appeal even though both umps agreed that the base runner missed 1st base?
Answers:
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Unless "time" had been called, the defense doesn't have to give the ball to the pitcher and the pitcher doesn't need to step on the rubber and then throw the base where the appeal is being made. All the defense needs to do is tag the runner in question with the ball and state the appeal or tag the missed base while having the ball and state the appeal.However, even though it wouldn't be necessary for the pitcher to have the ball, etc., unless the ball had been killed, there's nothing illegal about going through those unnecessary motions.
There are a few ways the defense can lose its ability to appeal a missed base. The first is the pitcher could balk when throwing to the base. By rule, that's a play, and the defense loses its ability to appeal if it makes an "intervening play."
The second way to lose the ability to appeal is to make an intervening play. For example, if in your play there had been a runner on first who had advanced to third on the apparent double, that runner could take off for home as the pitcher throws to first to appeal the missed base. If the first baseman jumps off the bag and tries to throw the runner from third out at home, that's an intervening play. The defense has now lost its ability to appeal the missed base.
The third way to lose the ability to appeal is if the ball is thrown out of play as the defense is appealing.
The fourth way to lose the ability to appeal is to throw a pitch (also considered a play for the purpose of the rule).
The above being said, the rules are different in most high school associations, as most high school associations use National Federation rules. Under National Federation rules, the defense can make a live ball appeal or a dead ball appeal. The live ball appeal is just like I described above using the Official baseball Rules.
Under the Fed's dead ball appeal procedure, the defense can ask for "time" and, after it's granted, simply tell the umpire the runner missed the base. Or, if the ball became dead without the defense asking for "time," the defense can tell the umpires the runner missed the base.
Also, because Fed rules allow a dead ball intentional walk, the defense must appeal the missed base before an intentional walk is awarded.
In addition, under Fed rules an intervening play "initiated" by the offense, such as in the example I gave above in covering OBR rules, does not eliminate the defense's ability to appeal.
And with THAT being said, no rule book allows one umpire to overrule another umpire on any call.
If you were playing under OBR, the ball may not have been live when the appeal was made, in which case the appeal wouldn't be acknowledged. But the defense needed simply to do the appeal again with the ball live.
The pitcher should step onto the rubber and wait for the home plate ump to call time in. Then the pitcher steps off the mound, and throws the ball to the base in question and makes the appeal. That should be it. The only way I believe the way your team did something wrong was that the umpire hadn't called time in or the pitcher never stepped on the rubber and then stepped off.
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You should be able to, when the ball is back in play, throw to the base that the runner missed, and the umpire there should be able to make the call AND have it stand. Same thing when a runner tags up too early. Judging by what you have recounted, I don't know what the home plate umpire was thinking, or why he reversed the call.Is anybody ready to see us RedSox kick the crap out of the Yankees tonight?
have your manager go to the ump screaming like a mad man then when he gets thrwon out slowly go an ask the ump to over turn the play.Based on your example the Home Plate umpire was wrong. The proper proceedure for an appeal is to return the ball to the pitcher after the play has stopped. The pitcher steps on the rubber and then backs off. He announces to the Umpire that he is appealing that the batter missed first base and then he throws it to the first baseman who steps on the base. If any of those procedures is not followed... for example if the runner leaves second base and the pitcher makes a motion towards him or an attempt to get him out at second or third base then the appeal will fail for not being followed.
Here is the answer. The easiest way is when playing action is over and the ball is still live, throw to the fielder at that base. Do not use the pitcher if "Time" has not been granted.
If "Time" has been granted, when the pitcher has the ball on the rubber and the umpire calls"Play" then have the pitchewr step off with the proper foot then throw the ball to the fielder at the base.
If the pitcher balks, the ball is dead, the runner is awarded one base, and the right to appeal is lost.
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