TooBusyToUmp

Right, me too. But what's the difference between the "leave" and "running back to third"? If the runner goes on a direct line to third base, that's obviously returning. If he's walking away at a 80-degree angle to the third-base line, that's obviously leaving. But what if it is a 10-degree angle? 45? Or does our perception of their intent matter more?

Consider scenario 2: if some other runner touches home plate once and, on the plate, pivots directly to go run back to third base, he's fine, of course, because he never passed home plate. Back to my first scenario, if the runner who missed third base pivots on home plate directly toward the third base dugout, he didn't pass home at all. He just pivoted off of home plate and walked more or less toward third base before realizing what happened and running directly to third base. You've said you have a viable appeal at home base here and I tend to agree, but... Where do you draw the line between these two cases?

The strangest MLB play of all time illustrates this nicely. Not only does the play amaze--even more amazing is that the commentators got everything right.

I think I agree. Just one thing bugs me--at all other bases on tag plays, if a runner is immediately attempting to return to a missed base during unrelaxed action, an appeal can't be made; the runner must be tagged off the base to be put out. But perhaps that doesn't apply to the BR at first base, though I am just guessing and can't remember where I read the full nuances of unrelaxed action appeals. Do you know where I could find such case notes or official interpretations on unrelaxed action missed-base appeals?

I don't think I've ever considered last-time-by at home plate. Thanks for this post. So what's the difference between a failure to retouch and a wide detour path back to third base? Are we saying that if the runner goes directly from home plate toward the third-base dugout but then cuts back in to reach third base, he's fine, but if a runner goes from home plate toward the first-base dugout then heads to third base, he's liable to be called out on appeal at home?

In this play, BR Jesus Aguilar avoids a tag by Freddy Freeman then reaches but misses first base. The commentator says "Aguilar broke toward second" but I don't see that in the video. Freeman tagged Aguilar and he was immediately punched out. Did Aguilar make a move toward second base, making this an ordinary tag out? If so, what here is interpreted as a move toward second and what is the rule/guideline for that? If not, was this an appeal for missed base? Can such an appeal happen during unrelaxed action? If not, was this the wrong call? See also OBR 5.09(c)(3).

I'm in the same boat...hope to get back to umpiring soon, but too busy right now!