Rule 7.08(a)(2): Bunt Double Play due to Abandonment

[Lindsay]

A batter's bunt in Miami sent Manager Mike Redmond out to argue after umpires ruled a double play in a sequence that could be both supported and refuted by the Official Baseball...

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[basejester]

Abandonment would be a horseSH*# call on a play the umpire signaled out.

 

I'm guessing the base umpires mistook the PU's out mechanic for a fair mechanic.

 

The manager came out and argued something (e.g., obstruction or foul) that happened at the plate and the umpires never got together to fix the error at third.  You can see the first base umpire also thinks the batter is still a runner, as he calls him out (again) after the throw to first.

 

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?content_id=28556777&query=Mike%2BRedmond

[Lindsay]

Agree. Invoking 7.08(a)(2) here after the hoopla at third base is a "cheap shot," but the only rule that supports R2 being in the dugout at the end of this play, short of admitting the force rule was misapplied, given two out and R1 became R2.

[Larry in TN]

7.08 doesn't seem to address a case where an umpire mistakenly calls and signals that a base-runner is out.  If the umpire hasn't made an incorrect call, R2 never would have abandoned the bases.