Baseball Rules Trivia!?

Question

The score is tied late in the game. Runners are on first and third, with one out. The batter hits a fly ball to right center where the right fielder makes a running, juggling catch to retire the batter for the second out. He sees the runner on third heading for home, and rushes a throw past the cutoff man to the plate. The throw is offline and the catcher misplays it, so that runner touches the plate unopposed. Meanwhile, seeing the throw go past the cutoff man, the runner on first tags up and heads for second. When he sees the throw get away from the catcher, he rounds second and heads for third. But the ball doesn't get far enough away from the catcher, who recovers quickly. A fast throw and a brief rundown, and that runner is tagged out trying to get back to second for out number three.

While everyone is busy recording a 9-2-5-6 double play on their scoresheets, the third baseman frantically calls for the ball. He gets it, steps on third, and looks to the umpire.

1. Why? What's he trying to do?
2. Assuming the third baseman is correct about what happened, what is the end result?

NOTE: I don't recall where I read about this weird rules situation, or what section of the rule book actually covers it. I'm hoping that all you rules buffs and umpires can confirm what (I believe) I know.

dawgdays · Accepted Answer

The third baseman thinks the runner didn't "tag up" on the fly ball.

Rule 7.10(a) reads, "Any runner shall be called out, on appeal, when, after a fly ball is caught, he fails to retouch his original base before he or his original base is tagged."

If the runner left third base before the ball was first touched by the outfielder, when the third baseman tags the base, the umpire should call the runner out.  This is known as an advantageous "fourth out" which is discussed in the last paragraph of rule 7.10 (just before the comment).  Since the runner from third was the one put out on appeal, he cannot score, so the run would not count.

One thing to be aware of, the runner may leave the base when the ball is first touched by the fielder, and does not have to wait until the fielder secures the ball.

I halfway expect someone to say, "but to make an appeal, the pitcher has to have the ball on the rubber, then step off, and throw to the base."  That is only required if the ball becomes dead during play.  The ball must be live to make an appeal, and the ball is made live again by the pitcher having it and touching the rubber.