Appeal Plays

Baseball is unique in that there are a few rules which are only enforced when the defensive team specifically requests it. These are appeal plays. There are two situations where appeal plays are in order: (1) when a runner fails to tag up on a fly ball, or leaves the base before the catch, and (2) when a runner fails to touch a base in the process of running the bases. Batting out of order is also an appeal situation, but the rules for that are different, so I'll cover it in a separate article.

In order to make an appeal, first of all, the ball must be live, and the appeal must be made by a defensive player on the field. (This is true in all of MLB-affiliated baseball. Amateur baseball and softball often have different rules, which may allow appeals to be made when the ball is dead., or allow managers and coaches to make appeals.) Unless the fielder who is to make the appeal already has the ball, the offense must convey the ball to the base where the appeal is to be made, by either throwing it or carrying it. A fielder holding the ball must touch the base, and then inform the umpire that an appeal is being made, and which baserunner the appeal is being made on. If this is all done properly, the umpire will then make the call. If the umpire agrees that the infraction did in fact occur, in all cases that runner is retroactively out, and any run scored by that runner is nullified. If the out constitutes the third out of the inning, it may impact the results of any other baserunners who were on base at the start of the play, as explained below.

An appeal must be made immediately after the play in which the alleged baserunning infraction occurred. Once the defense has thrown a pitch to the next batter, or attempted some other play (other than another appeal), the opportunity to appeal is lost and the baserunner's improper action is legalized.

Third Out Appeals

The intent of this part of the rules is to avoid rewarding the offense with undeserved runs scored on a play where a baserunner committed an infraction resulting in the third out. In assessing which runs should be allowed, the umpire must consider whether there was originally a force on the runner at the base where the runner was called out on appeal. (It helps here to review the rulebook definition of "force": a force is when a runner is compelled to advance to the next base because the batter is entitled, by virtue of putting the ball in play, to try for first base. A runner being compelled to return to a base because of a fly ball being caught is, by rulebook definition, *not* a force play.) Recall the Golden Rule of Force Outs, which is that no run can score on any play where a force out is made for the third out. So if the force was on a runner at a particular base, a successful appeal on that runner at that base nullifies all runs scored on that play, by any runner. If the force was not on that runner at that base, runs scored by runners who were ahead of that runner on the bases do count, but runs scored by runners who followed the appealed-on runner do not count. (Note that there is no notion of a "time play" on appeals; providing that the appeal out was not on a forced runner, runs scored by runners who were ahead of that runner are counted, regardless of when the infraction occurred relative to runners crossing the plate.)

Fourth Out Appeals

A fourth out? Appeals can sometimes result in situations where it seems as if a fourth out is being called. The defense has the opportunity to appeal even after the third out is made, up until the point where all defensive players have vacated fair territory on their way to the dugout. These are the apparent "fourth out" plays. Actually, there can only be three outs in an inning -- but by making an appeal, the defense can choose which out it wants to be counted as the third out. For instance, consider the bases loaded with Able at third, Baker at second, and Charlie at first, and two out. The batter doubles; two runs score, but Charlie is thrown out at the plate to end the inning. After the play, the defense appeals that the batter missed first base, and the ump at that base agrees and calls the batter out at first for a "fourth" out. Since there was a force on the batter at first, the defense asks for that to be the third out, which nullifies all the runs scored, in accordance with the Golden Rule of Force Outs. The appeal becomes the official third out, and the play on Charlie at the plate is disregarded. (All three runners are scored as having been left on base.)

Appeals on Walk Offs

If the ball has gone out of play, and at least one defensive player remains in fair territory, then at the defense's request the plate umpire must put a new ball into play for the purpose of making an appeal. This applies even after the game has apparently ended. If the batter hit an apparent walk-off home run, but the defense thinks they saw an appealable infraction, the plate ump must throw out a new ball and call "Play". (Note that while the plate ump traditionally hands a new ball to the catcher, there is no rule that specifies this. If the second baseman is the only defensive player left on the field, he can receive the new ball.) The defense can then make an appeal. If the runner is called out on appeal, the resulting situation may require that the game continue, or it might reverse the result of the game. I'll present an example in the example plays below.

Here is a video of a high school game where the outcome of the game reversed, due to an appeal on a baserunner, who missed home plate on what appeared to be a walk-off home run:

Losing the Right to Appeal

An appeal must always be made before a pitch is thrown to the next batter, or any other play (other than another appeal) is attempted. Otherwise, the defense gives up its right to appeal, and the runner's infraction is disregarded. A particularly insidious situation is when the pitcher balks in the process of throwing to a base to initiate an appeal. The balk constitutes a play, and the right to appeal is lost. Another is if the pitcher, or another player, throws the ball out of play while trying to get the ball to a base to make an appeal. This is why you will sometimes see the ball walked to the base where the appeal is to be made, rather than thrown.

The defense can always choose to ignore an opportunity to appeal. If the defense is happy with the result of the play as it occurred in real time, it need not appeal.

Scoring on Appeal Plays

Appeal plays are scored one of two ways, depending on whether the appeal happened in the course of continuous action, or the ball was returned to the pitcher and action had stopped before the appeal was made. If the appeal happened in the course of continuous action, the putout is scored exactly as it happened: the player who made the appeal is credited with the putout, and any players who made throws to get the ball to him are credited with assists. If action had stopped, and then the pitcher made a throw to a base for the appeal, only the pitcher is credited with an assist.

If a runner who was forced is called out on appeal, the play is scored as a fielder's choice. If the appeal resulted in the third out, but the out was not on a runner who was forced, the usual rules for determining the value of a base hit applies.

Example plays

One out, Able on third, Baker on second. The batter singles and both runners come home. However, the defense appeales that Able failed to touch home plate, and the ump agrees. What is the result of the play? Answer: Able is out at the plate. However, since the appeal was only the second out, it has no effect on Baker's actions. One run scores.

One out, Able on third, Baker on second, Charlie on first. Batter hits a long fly ball to right which is caught for the second out. Able and Baker tag up and advance to home and third respectively. However, the defense appeals that Baker left second too soon, and the ump agrees. Results? Answer: By definition, Baker's improper tag-up is not a force play. So, since Able was ahead of Baker on the basepaths, Baker's action does not effect Able's actions. Baker is out at second and the inning is over, but Able's run counts.

Two out, Able at third, Baker at second. The batter hits a double and both runners cross the plate. However, the defense appeals that the batter missed the base at first, and the umpire agrees and calls the batter out. How many runs score? Answer: none. Since the force was on the batter at first (the force is always on the batter at first), and the out on the batter at first is the third out, the Golden Rule of Force Outs applies.

Two out, Able at third, Baker at first. The batter hits a double to the wall in left field. Able scores easily and the batter reaches second, but Baker is thrown out at the plate to end the inning. However, before leaving the field, the defense appeals that the batter missed first base, and the umpire agrees. Now what? Answer: The batter is out, and the Golden Rule of Force Outs applies, nullifying Able’s run What about the play on Baker? The official scorer should disregard it. The appeal is the official third out of the inning, and Able and Baker are both scored as left on base.

Two out, and Able is on third after hitting a triple. But the defense thinks he missed second base. The pitcher throws to the second baseman for the appeal, but as he does so, Able takes off for home plate. The second baseman throws to the catcher without first announcing the appeal to the umpire. Able beats the throw and is safe. The catcher then throws back to second, where the appeal is made. Answer: Whether Able missed second base or not, the umpire must disallow the appeal because the defense attempted another play (the attempt to throw out Able at the plate) prior to making the appeal.

One out, Able on second, Baker on first. The batter hits a ground ball to short. The shortstop fields it and throws to second to start the double play (Baker is out at second), but the second baseman airmails the throw to first. Before the first baseman retrieves the ball, Able scores and the batter ends up at second. But the defense appeals that the batter missed first in his attempt to beat the throw, and the umpire agrees. What about it? Answer: The batter is out at first. Since the batter was forced at first, and the appeal on the batter constitutes the third out, the Golden Rule of Force Outs applies, and Able's run does not count. (Whether or not this would be scored a double play is not clear to me, but it makes no difference to the play outcome.)

One out, Able at third, Baker at second. The batter hits a fly ball to left which is caught. Able attempts to score; the left fielder’s throw is way up the first base line, and it deflects off the catcher’s glove and rolls towards first base. Seeing this, Baker, who has advanced to third on the throw, attempts to score. The first baseman retrieves the ball and throws to the catcher, who puts the tag on Baker for the out. Immediately, the third baseman calls for the ball. The catcher throws it to him and he appeals that Able left third too soon. The ump agrees and calls Able out. Score this play. Answer: Since the appeal happened in the course of continuous action, I would score it 3-2-5. The fact that Baker was tagged out is disregarded, so I’d give the first baseman an assist on the appeal play as part of the action that got the ball to third. You could argue it the other way, though. I don’t give the left fielder an assist since that was part of an unsuccessful play (the attempt to put out Able at the plate). However, I also don’t charge the left fielder with an error, since ultimately Able failed to gain a base on the play.

None out, Able on first. Able runs on the pitch, in an attempt to steal second, but the batter hits a long line driver. The ball looks like it will be off the outfield wall, so Able keeps running rather than sliding at second base. The ball does hit the wall on the fly, but in foul territory, so it is a foul ball. Able has already passed second when the ball is called foul. In returning to first, he cuts across the diamond. When "Play" is called, the defense appeals at second base that Able did not retouch the base as he was returning to first after the foul ball. Is he out? Answer: Per Rule 5.06(b)(1), it is not necessary for a batter to retouch intervening bases when returning to a base after a ball in play is called foul. Able is safe.

Same situation as above, but Able misses second base as he runs towards third, before the batted ball is called foul. Is he out: Answer: I can’t find anything in the rules that covers this situation. However, if I was the umpire, I would call Able safe on the appeal, for the reason that it would be very strange to call a runner out on a foul ball. If anyone has seen such a play, I would appreciate hearing about it.

Bottom of the 9th, two out, Able at third, and the team at bat is behind 3-2. The batter hits a ball over the right field fence. Able takes a few steps, and then, thinking the game is over, he heads to the dugout, while the batter runs out his home run. Most players then head to the dugout, but the catcher remains at his position and asks for a new ball. The umpire gives him one and calls "Play". The catcher then appeals that Able did not touch home plate. What about it? Answer: Able is out, Further, since there were two out, no runner that was behind him can score, which nullifies the batter’s home run. The visiting team wins, 3-2, and they all chip in to buy their catcher a steak dinner, while Able catches hell from his teammates for his boneheaded play. I have never heard of this happening in a Major League game, but it is shown happening in a high school game in the Youtube clip linked to above.