A quibble from RefStripes.com

[ALStripes17]

A baseball question posted on RefStripes.com. Would love to see feedback on this scenario. No ruleset specified.

"Runners on 1st and 2nd, batter hits the ball down the 3rd base line. 3rd baseman attempts to field it going to his right, but has to run it down in shallow left field territory. Everyone advances one base. Everyone safe.

So, 3rd baseman throws the ball back to the pitcher from very shallow left field. The runner on third is confused and has convinced himself that it was a foul ball. He starts back to second. Base coach starts yelling to get on base. Pitcher sees him off the bag and throws it back to 3rd. Here's the question.

Is the runner forced out or must he be tagged?"

[grayhawk]

By retreating back toward second base, he reinstated the force, so he does not need to be tagged to be put out. 7.08(e).

[noumpere]

The force was reinstated, Luke. 7.08 something (I don't have the books handy)

 

Damn: grayhawk beat me to it.

[Senor Azul]

The following definitions are from the Jaksa/Roder manual--

 

Continuous action: An uninterrupted progression of play starting with the pitch and ending typically when the runners have ceased trying to advance, and the defense has relaxed and is returning (or has returned) the ball to the pitcher or the pitcher's mound.

 

During continuous action and only during continuous action, the force can be removed and also reinstated.

 

Shouldn't there have been a discussion about this concept of "continuous action" and whether it applies to the question posed in the original post before we award a "best answer"?

 

 

[grayhawk]

Senor, I considered it, but the way the OP was written, I considered it all part of continuous action.  Especially since F5 threw it to F1 from the outfield.

[JaxRolo]

Force

[BalkHawk]

That's two separate plays; a base hit, then a pick off.

Gotta tag him.

[Ump29]

That's two separate plays; a base hit, then a pick off.

Gotta tag him.

Where is the pick off?

[BalkHawk]

...So, 3rd baseman throws the ball [back] to the pitcher from very shallow left field...

PITCHER SEES HIM OFF THE BAG AND THROWS IT [back] TO 3RD.

Continuous action ceased in between, r2 is now r3.

Your scorecard has a 5-1-5 fielders choice?

[ALStripes17]

Pick off is from the rubber, when the pitcher is defined as a pitcher. I see this as the F1 receiving the ball from F5 nonchalantly while the runner slowly returns to 2B. My scorecard would have a 5-1-5 FC. Terminology in the OP can be confusing *shrug* I copy and pasted from the other forum.