A question for the baseball experts...

[billybud]

I saw a play in the FSU-Stony Brook game that has me scratching my head...

It was the 7th inning, FSU had 1 runner on 1B and the right handed batter had a full count.

On the pitch, the batter attempted to check his swing and the pitch was called a ball and the batter began to trot to take his base.

The catcher did not immediately appeal the checked swing, but kind of stood up, turned around to talk to the home plate ump, then the
appeal was made by the home plate ump and the batter was called out by the 1st base umpire.

During this time, the runner from 1B was also making his trot down to 2B with the original walk being called.

After the 1B ump called out the batter, he immediately made his way toward the infield as if a play was being made on the runner going to 2B.

No play was made and the runner stayed at 2B safe (so he got the "slowest stolen base ever" award) and the batter went to the dugout for the 2nd out.

If the base on balls was reversed by the 1st base ump, why was the runner allowed to stay at 2nd since he advanced on the bad call?

[ABC]

He advanced at his own risk. Had they made a play on him, he would have been out.

[billybud]

OK...since the batter was given a walk, and there was a real lag before the home plate ump asked for a second opinion from the 1st base ump..(the batter had trotted 3/4ths of the way to first base), it really took away Stony Brook's opportunity to make defensive play.

If the catcher had thrown the ball, then turned to ask for an appeal, I guess that would have been the correct way to play that for Stony Brook.

Thanks

[AccutaneT]

^^^^^^^^^^^

this is bump!

[Kung Wu]

this is bump!

Excellent first post, Accuspammer.

[jdmee]

From the MLB rule book on MLB.com

notice the bolded part.

(c) If a decision is appealed, the umpire making the decision may ask another umpire
for information before making a final decision. No umpire shall criticize, seek to
reverse or interfere with another umpire’s decision unless asked to do so by the
umpire making it. If the umpires consult after a play and change a call that had
been made, then they have the authority to take all steps that they may deem
necessary, in their discretion, to eliminate the results and consequences of the earlier
call that they are reversing, including placing runners where they think those
runners would have been after the play, had the ultimate call been made as the
initial call, disregarding interference or obstruction that may have occurred on the
play; failures of runners to tag up based upon the initial call on the field; runners
passing other runners or missing bases; etc., all in the discretion of the umpires. No
player, manager or coach shall be permitted to argue the exercise of the umpires’
discretion in resolving the play and any person so arguing shall be subject to
ejection.
Rule 9.02(c) Comment: A manager is permitted to ask the umpires for an explanation of the
play and how the umpires have exercised their discretion to eliminate the results and consequences of
the earlier call that the umpires are reversing. Once the umpires explain the result of the play,
however, no one is permitted to argue that the umpires should have exercised their discretion in a
different manner.
The manager or the catcher may request the plate umpire to ask his partner for help on a half swing
when the plate umpire calls the pitch a ball, but not when the pitch is called a strike. The manager may
not complain that the umpire made an improper call, but only that he did not ask his partner for help.
Field umpires must be alerted to the request from the plate umpire and quickly respond. Managers may
not protest the call of a ball or strike on the pretense they are asking for information about a half swing.
Appeals on a half swing may be made only on the call of ball and when asked to appeal, the home
plate umpire must refer to a base umpire for his judgment on the half swing. Should the base umpire call
the pitch a strike, the strike call shall prevail.

Baserunners must be alert to the possibility that the base umpire on appeal from the plate umpire
may reverse the call of a ball to the call of a strike, in which event the runner is in jeopardy of being out
by the catcher’s throw. Also, a catcher must be alert in a base stealing situation if a ball call is reversed
to a strike by the base umpire upon appeal from the plate umpire.
The ball is in play on appeal on a half swing.

On a half swing, if the manager comes out to argue with first or third base umpire and if after
being warned he persists in arguing, he can be ejected as he is now arguing over a called ball or strike.

[billybud]

Thank you, guys.

[dregn]

The most interesting play to me so far this post season, think it was LSU v Stony Brook, occurred on a 3-2 pitch with a runner on first. The runner took off with the pitch which was called ball 4. However, with the pitch being close to the strike zone the Stony Brook catcher threw down to 2nd anyways. The runner slid into 2nd ahead of the throw, but then slid through the bag and lost contact with the base. The shortstop applied a tag at this time and the runner was called out since the runner had advanced past 2nd base by loosing contact. Needless to say the LSU coach was not happy even though it appeared to be the correct call by the rule book.

[SubGod22]

The most interesting play to me so far this post season, think it was LSU v Stony Brook, occurred on a 3-2 pitch with a runner on first. The runner took off with the pitch which was called ball 4. However, with the pitch being close to the strike zone the Stony Brook catcher threw down to 2nd anyways. The runner slid into 2nd ahead of the throw, but then slid through the bag and lost contact with the base. The shortstop applied a tag at this time and the runner was called out since the runner had advanced past 2nd base by loosing contact. Needless to say the LSU coach was not happy even though it appeared to be the correct call by the rule book.

I missed that one. Sounds interesting and is most definitely the right call...

[shox1989]

The most interesting play to me so far this post season, think it was LSU v Stony Brook, occurred on a 3-2 pitch with a runner on first. The runner took off with the pitch which was called ball 4. However, with the pitch being close to the strike zone the Stony Brook catcher threw down to 2nd anyways. The runner slid into 2nd ahead of the throw, but then slid through the bag and lost contact with the base. The shortstop applied a tag at this time and the runner was called out since the runner had advanced past 2nd base by loosing contact. Needless to say the LSU coach was not happy even though it appeared to be the correct call by the rule book.

I remember that play too. I don't think I had ever seen that before.