Appeal Play

[BigBlue4u]

Any thoughts on this?

R1 going on the pitch.  Fly ball to RF.  Just as the runner approaches second base, he glances to see what’s happening with the batted ball.  In doing so, he stops short of second base by a couple of steps.  The RF catches the ball.  R1 then turns to return to first base.  In doing so, he does not touch 2^nd base.  When the ball is returned to the infield, 2B asks for the ball and properly appeals to the umpire that R1 did not touch second base.  What's the call?

 Some umpires claim there can be no appeal because the runner never acquired or passed 2B.  Others say that the runner should be out because he did not advance bases in order.

 

 

[Velho]

LLM conflagration of a play or overthinking it by "others".

5 minutes ago, BigBlue4u said:

 he stops short of second base by a couple of steps.... Others say that the runner should be out because he did not advance bases in order.

 

What base did the runner touch in between leaving and retouching 1B?

How many steps short count? 1, 3 or 15? What if the runner is 5' tall or 7' tall?

New OBR codifies when the runner has passed, and thus needs to retouch, a base.