Force out

[Guest Don]

Runner on first, batter hits ball to short, throw gets away from  first baseman, runner hesitates to go to second, batter rounds first and has to return to first as the runner slowly gets to second. Questions is ,is it a force play on the batter or a tag play, remember the batter rounded first attempting to go to second and then retrieted back to first.

[Rich Ives]

7 minutes ago, Guest Don said:

Runner on first, batter hits ball to short, throw gets away from  first baseman, runner hesitates to go to second, batter rounds first and has to return to first as the runner slowly gets to second. Questions is ,is it a force play on the batter or a tag play, remember the batter rounded first attempting to go to second and then retrieted back to first.

Tag. Being forced means there is a runner behind you that is now required to go to the base you were on so you are forced to advance. No runner is ever forced (baseball meaning) to retreat. Being doubled-off is an appeal play, not a force. The batter can never be forced. 

(BTW - for any appeal or force you can tag either the runner or the base.)

 

[beerguy55]

2 hours ago, Guest Don said:

Runner on first, batter hits ball to short, throw gets away from  first baseman, runner hesitates to go to second, batter rounds first and has to return to first as the runner slowly gets to second. Questions is ,is it a force play on the batter or a tag play, remember the batter rounded first attempting to go to second and then retrieted back to first.

If you have runners on first and second, and R1 is leading off first base, is it a force play on a pick off attempt to first base?

If you have runners on first and second, and R1 tries to steal second, only to realize that R2 didn't try to steal third and is still standing on the bag, is it a force play on R1 returning to first base?

It's a tag play for the batter/runner...however, in your scenario, the force is still on for the runner who hasn't reached second yet, no matter where the batter is (as long as he's not out).