Two outs and player leave the field.

Give them four outs the next inning?

As far as I can tell, there's nothing in the rules covering the defense leaving the field with less than three outs. If a baserunner leaves the field, they can be called out for abandonment. But the defense leaving? That's something the umpires should have avoided to begin with.

The only option I can think of is to call the managers out and let them know we only have two outs in the previous inning, let them call their players back out and finish the inning.

4 outs the next inning? I know that will not fly. I am reading the Evans material and the pbuc to see if it has any statements. There are two camps on this currently.

1- By rule the inning was never completed so the next inning never really started. So go back and finish the inning

2- The should have known the outs and since the offense gave up after two and did not catch it before the first pitch. They have no right to go back (like an appeal for a missed ruling or missed base)

I agree the umpires should have prevented this as soon as they ran off the field. By listing the correct outs and bringing them back.

Or course we have a totally different situation if there had been a runner on base at the time. (anyone care to comment on that)

With a runner on, when that runner leaves the field, he's out and now we have three outs.

Ira Meinhofer
916-724-9450

Runner leaves the fiels and enters the dugout, that makes three outs. Continue play.

M.GarrettThere is no rule to govern this except 9.01 c This gives the umpire the right to make whatever ruling is needed to make it right.
If the umpire says to return and finish the inning, then thats mwhat you do. If he says it is too late because the next inning started, then that is the ruling.
9.01 c my friends. That is what that the rule is for.

Did the malicious contact happen before or after R1 scored? If it happened before you have your 3rd out there.

By rule, can you declare R3 out for malicious contact if no play is being made on him? OBR doesn't speak to malicious contact. 2.21.1b says malicious contact by a runner with a fielder with or without the ball, in or out of the baseline,is offensive interference. 3.3.1n (Penalty) says the player is out unless he has already scored. So, if, as Gordon says, he hadn't scored as of the time of the contact, he is out as well...3 outs, play on.

Hi Gents! A half inning ends when there is a third out. Since, In Dan's hypothetical, the runner scored before the malicious contact, the runner is tossed but he is not out. My vote is to put them all back on the field, and finish the half inning. The offense is entitled to their third out. I also vote to give the umps a "1" for game management.