Runner Fails to Retouch Second Base: The Force is Reinstated
The Brewers hosted the Dodgers on Aug. 14, 2024 at American Family Field. In the bottom of the fourth, Brice Turang was at bat facing Anthony Banda with Joey Ortiz on first base and one out. Turang hit a fair ball down the left field line that barely touched the painted foul line. Ortiz, not knowing where the ball was, slid into second base. He then took a couple of steps back to first, apparently thinking the ball was caught. Realizing the ball wasn’t caught, Ortiz then took off for third base but failed to retouch second base. Meanwhile, Turang advanced to second.
With runners on second and third, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts went to the mound. He apparently wanted to discuss the appeal procedure with Banda. When the meeting concluded, plate umpire David Rackley put the ball back in play. Banda stepped back off the rubber and threw to second base to appeal Ortiz’s violation. Second base umpire Nate Tomlinson called Ortiz out. At the time the Brewers led, 4-3 in a game they would win, 5-4.
In your opinion how did the Dodgers handle the appeal and once Ortiz took a couple of steps back toward first, was the force reinstated?
Ruleball Comments
- How did the Dodgers execute the appeal? I would rather have seen a continuous action appeal, but for some reason “Time” was called and the ball went to the mound.
- I think Roberts made a good move to convene a meeting at the mound before a pitch was thrown to ensure that Banda would make a proper appeal of Ortiz’s violation.
- Banda properly stepped back off the rubber and made the appeal throw to second base and Ortiz was called out.
- In my opinion, because the continuous action appeal was not an option after the ball went to the mound and action had stopped, the most practical way to handle this appeal was to have Banda, after he stepped off the mound, run to third base and tag Ortiz. If a throw to third went into dead ball territory, the Dodgers would lose the right to appeal. Because Banda was throwing as a fielder, Ortiz would score and so would Turang who was on second base and would get the two-base award. If Banda’s appeal throw to either base was errant, but the ball stayed on the field, the Dodgers could still appeal Ortiz but Turang could have advanced.
Force Reinstated
When Ortiz took a couple of steps off second base back toward first, the force was reinstated at second base and was still in effect at the time of the appeal because Oritz never retouched second base. If there were two outs when this occurred, the inning would have ended in a force, and any run scored would be negated because of the inning-ending force.
Rich Marazzi
Rules consultant/analyst: Angels, D’backs, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, YES, and NBC Sports Chicago.
Another example of professional players not knowing the rules they should. Spring training should include rules instruction. Reminds me of John Wooden instructing players at first practice how to put on their socks and shoes to avoid blisters. Little things matter.
I am on-board with everything described here but my question is: Did Dave Roberts make a second mound visit before leaving fair territory? He is seen walking off the mound toward the dugout, stopping and turning toward the mound again, and communicating with his defensive players (hand-signals). He did not appear to step toward the mound again and, while not completely clear, his turn back toward the pitcher seemed to happen before he crossed the foul line (which may or may not be a consideration in the question).