Timing Play
This one caught us a little off guard.
Two outs. Runner on first. Base hit to outfield. Batter-runner tries to turn two, but gets caught in a run down between first and second. Meanwhile R1 makes it around to home. During the rundown, the batter-runner heading back to first makes a turn toward the outfield to make another go for 2nd. I guess the batter-runner thought himself out for going out of the basepath, because he headed back to the dugout without actually getting called out. None of us on the 3-man crew realized he hadn't actually been called out until after the 3rd out of the inning and talking about the play (something like, "Why'd you call him out?" "I didn't call him out. Why? You didn't call him out either?" "Nope"). So, we agreed he would be out anyway on abandoning his base.
However, we wondered what would happen hypothetically if he purposely started to run out of the base path with the express purpose of providing time for R1 to get home.
I really know what the answer is, it just seemed like a strange play at the time. Besides, I'm hoping to spur some discussion on this forum about bizarre plays. I really enjoy these discussions. Whatchyou got?
If there was no tag on the batter-runner, then he would not be out until he entered the dugout. Providing that R1 scored before the BR entered the dugout I would have him scoring. I also think that the defense should be penalized for being unaware of the situation and not tagging out the BR before the run scored.
Let's see, if he's in a run-down, doesn't he have to run directly to a base? In other words, as long as a play is being made on him, he can only run directly to 1st or 2nd along the basepath he established. In your example he would be called out for being out of the basepath once he ran towards the outfield. However, if no play is being made on him (eg. a throw was made to 3rd or home to get the other runner) then the first runner can run into the outfield to confuse the defense. However, once the defense resumes making a play on him, he must run directly to a base, even if that line goes from right field to second or first. I recall Adam mentioning a trick play called "Elephant in the outfield" or something like that where the runner runs into the outfield in order to confuse the defense.
In reading this description I see that there may be several issues to talk about.
There seem to have been two umpires near the play since they were asking each other if the other called the runner out. Perhaps there was a lack of understanding on who was responsible for what. Here are the Questions that come to mind
1.What umpires were near this play or rundown?
2.Who should have been responsible for the run down and any plays that happened?
3.When is abandonment called?
4.When is out of the base path called?
5. Why do you think the runner stopped running and the defense stopped pursuing?
Mike,
The play is called Skunk in the Outfield. With runners at first and third, R1 "steals" shallow right field and stays there. If the defense attempts tag him out, it's an easy take of home for R3. Once the defense starts to make a play on R1, he makes a beeline for whichever base (first or second) is further away from the oncoming defender.
It's a fairly bush-league play, but I use it to illustrate the concept of "out of the baseline" and a runner establishing his own path.
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