# Hypothetical baseball question **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 23, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496 "2008-04-23T03:05:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/1 "2008-04-23T03:05:03Z")
There’s a rule for everything in baseball, and more than a century of examples where it actually happened. Here’s my question, and feel free to offer case histories where it happened. Ball hit to the outfield, runner tries to score. The catcher tries to block the plate, the runner tries to slide around the catcher. The catcher never actually applies the tag and the runner never actually touches home plate. The umpire sees what happens, and does not signal either safe or out. The catcher and runner also both realize what happened, but instead of trying to go back and touch the plate, the runner dashes into the dugout before the catcher can tag him. Let’s take it one step further. The catcher actually chases the runner into the dugout, where (obviously) the opposing team is in no great hurry to get out of the catcher’s way. Let’s go one step further still. The runner goes from the dugout into the clubhouse whether the catcher can’t possibly get to him. Meanwhile, the action on the field is at a standstill. What’s the correct call? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/2 "2008-04-23T03:23:36Z")
Fascinating, bizarre question. I think the runner would eventually be called out if he didn’t make any effort to return to the field, but I’m not sure what rule would apply there- perhaps it’d be just a call made out of convenience. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/3 "2008-04-23T03:25:20Z")
The runner is definitely out the instant he leaves the playing field(ie enters the dugout). He’s probably out the instant he leaves the basepath to avoid the tag. If the pitching team doesn’t notice that he didn’t touch home and pitch to the next batter, he’s safe. If play is declared dead and before the next pitch, the pitching team realizes that he didn’t touch home, they may make a dead-ball appeal, and the runner is out. Edit: FTR, I was a former _softball_ umpire, not baseball, but I don’t believe that the rules are materially different in this case. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/4 "2008-04-23T11:16:26Z")
The catcher and runner also both realize what happened, but instead of trying to go back and touch the plate, the runner dashes into the dugout before the catcher can tag him. **When the runner leaves the field he’s out. Technically running out of the baselines would do it but around home plate that’s not generally enforced. I’ve seen some wild ballet-like events in these cases.** Let’s take it one step further. The catcher actually chases the runner into the dugout, where (obviously) the opposing team is in no great hurry to get out of the catcher’s way. **If it got to this it would likely be interference with the ball in play on the part of the batters team. One baserunner, for example, cannot punch a fielder to prevent him throwing the ball to first.** Let’s go one step further still. The runner goes from the dugout into the clubhouse whether the catcher can’t possibly get to him. **I think this would fall under the ‘out of the baselines’ thing. And likely earn a fine, as well, for generally dickery.** Meanwhile, the action on the field is at a standstill. What’s the correct call? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/5 "2008-04-23T11:33:29Z")
From [Rule 7.08(k):](http://www.baseball-almanac.com/rule7.shtml) This is the “The runner is out when:” section > [@](#): > > (k) In running or sliding for home base, he fails to touch home base and makes no attempt to return to the base, when a fielder holds the ball in his hand, while touching home base, and appeals to the umpire for the decision. This rule applies only where runner is on his way to the bench and the catcher would be required to chase him. It does not apply to the ordinary play where the runner misses the plate and then immediately makes an effort to touch the plate before being tagged. In that case, runner must be tagged. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/6 "2008-04-24T18:00:48Z")
I knew there had to be a rule somewhere. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2008, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hypothetical-baseball-question/446496/7 "2008-04-24T18:16:55Z")
Rule 7.01 (a)(2) further states that a baserunner who abandons the effort to continue to his next base can be called out without tagging him. This would appear, to me, to supercede the necessity for an appeal as described in 7.08(k) and 7.10. Which makes you wonder why those rules call for an appeal. I don’t really understand why they don’t pry a lot of the appeal plays out of the rulebook. In this case, and in many others, they’re unnecessary.