Runner on 1B; less than 2 outs; fly ball to RF; runner takes off but ball is caught.
The throw back to 1B to double him up goes out of play.
2 Questions:
(1) Does runner have to return to 1B before he advances?
(2) How far does he advance?
Yes he still has to go back and tag up. I will be interested to see how people answer the second part. The way I interpret the rule is you get 2 bases. Seeing as how he was headed back to 1B then he should only get 2B.
He goes to 3B. 'Heading back' is irrelevant. Two bases from last legally touched base.
SCUBA, the short answer is that he does not have to go back but is an appeal play. What I have noticed over the years of officiating is that the ones that I see, no one seems to appeal. They often appeal ones that I either couldn’t see (like a shoestring catch in left field, and the runner on first leaves early) or never happened. Unlike some others that I know, I will only call what I actually see. I honestly cannot often believe the ones that the defense misses. If they don’t appeal, then there is nothing to call on.
1) Runner must go back and tag first base. (Some associations might be different)
2) Any throw from the outfield that goes out of play is a two base award from the time of the throw—from the runners last legally occupied base. Since your scenario has the runner last legally occupying first base, I have the him going to third.
Nancy please explain what needs to be appealed?
Dbax, I was only addressing the first part. He stated that the ball was caught. So if the runner does not go back, it can be appealed that the runner left 1B early. With the catch and the runner being in the same general direction, an umpire can usually see that. Stick8 addressed the entire solution. He is totally correct.
