flyingron

I believe the outcome was to return the runner to second (doubtful it was intentional). Of course, the commentators spent then next 30 minutes making up stuff about what might have happened.

Yech. A wild card. Frankly, even coming from an American league upbringing, I was never fond of the designated hitter rule. Having to decide whether to put to yank the pitcher in the batting order for a pinch hitter was part of the strategy of the game. While the rate-of-play not only increases attendance but also general interest in the game (on TV or whatever), I'm not seeing how this helps anything unless you believe the game is so boring that you need to jack up the scoring. While baseball isn't exactly basketball, it isn't soccer.

Do they have to say "Howzat?"

That was a joke, son.

I'll take a small issue here (of course none of this has anything to do with the original question). It doesn't say anything about properly worn for tags, just that he's holding the ball securely or firmly in the glove. Touching (which is incorporated in to the definition of tag) of a player, requires that the glove only be in contact with the "intended place" (presumably the hand) on his person. Detatched equipment references refer to using that equipment to intercept the pitch, thrown ball, of fair batted ball. There's notably this play:

If the umpire determines that the ball hitting the bat was not from an intentional action of the batter, it's still live. It's up to the umpire to determine if the ODB touching the ball hindered a play on it (seems like a stretch here, but you'd have to be there). If he determines it to be interference, he then has to determine where the runners were at the time of the interference. If they had legally made the next base, then they stay there. If they were not there yet, they have to go back (no matter how close they were).

I've been scoring longer than I've been umpiring. To my knowledge that's the way it was for a long time. Interference indicates that the runner probably would have been out on a play and hence (it is like a fielders choice). Getting struck by the batted ball is a technical out, but the batter would have had a successful hit (and R1 made it to second) if it hadn't happened.

There aren't any yard stripes between home and first.

It does, but he hadn't gone past first base when the ball went over the fence so he gets two (first and second). Look at Velho's video link around 7:00 in. They have a nice split screen though you can see it in the wide angle shot immediately preceding.

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The part that says SHALL (once the barrel goes past the plane) obligates a strike call, but the wording doesn't preclude ones that don't go that far from being considered a strike.

Beerguy is right. It's a common misconception that also leads people to believe appeals are force plays because they're also performed by touching the base (and that you can't appeal by touching the runner either).

https://www.wistv.com/2024/07/04/11-year-old-baseball-player-doubles-umpire/

Lindsey used the same foot in her estimation.

You can decide where it starts but in even the kindest positioning I have he is to the left of the foul line (and frankly I think he was on the grass). He runs on the runner lane chalk line which puts him 3' to the right of the foul line and even further from the edge of the grass.