I think some here may not like this, but I kind of do. It's just a little weird for the play to end (no subsequent play happens), the coach to say "She missed the tag up on third." And the ump to reply "Yep. Runner is out." It doesn't take much for someone to walk the ball over to third and step on the base, and at least then everybody knows what just happened.
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I think some here may not like this, but I kind of do. It's just a little weird for the play to end (no subsequent play happens), the coach to say "She missed the tag up on third." And the ump to reply "Yep. Runner is out." It doesn't take much for someone to walk the ball over to third and step on the base, and at least then everybody knows what just happened.
- Mar 1, 2013
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Depending on the level (and if you haven’t seen many of my posts, the last few years I’ve “retired” to youth community ball) I may ask a leading question if their appeal wasn’t “really” an appeal.
Runner misses home on a bases loaded walk. Catcher sees it. She asks me, “what happened if she doesn’t touch home?” Me: “are you appealing that the runner missed the plate?” Catcher: “I don’t know”. I recall that I didn’t honor an appeal there at the time but on further thought probably should have. Or at least answered, “well, she’d be out if a player or coach appealed it”. She noticed the infraction and brought it to my attention. I learn at the lower levels too.
Runner misses home on a bases loaded walk. Catcher sees it. She asks me, “what happened if she doesn’t touch home?” Me: “are you appealing that the runner missed the plate?” Catcher: “I don’t know”. I recall that I didn’t honor an appeal there at the time but on further thought probably should have. Or at least answered, “well, she’d be out if a player or coach appealed it”. She noticed the infraction and brought it to my attention. I learn at the lower levels too.
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- May 29, 2015
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Never ask a 12u catcher if she is appealing … it’s just creepy. 
- Mar 1, 2013
- 404
- 43
Like yelling, "Foul! It hit her in the box!"Never ask a 12u catcher if she is appealing … it’s just creepy.
You are describing a live ball appeal and both choices (tagging runner before she returns or tagging the base before she returns) are proper.
The player does not have to make a verbal. If the player catches the ball and touches the base (or tags the runner) before the runner successfully returns to the base the appeal that the runner left early (or missed the base which I think follows the same mechanics) is successful and the runner is out.
Where you may need to make a verbal is after the play and the picther has the ball and some coach say "Hey she left early at 3rd" and the pitcher then or 3rd base man says "We're appealing that she left early" and then they throw to 3rd and touch the bag. But I'm not sure the exact mechanics of this appeal. This is what I think they are referring to as a dead ball appeal.
You cant have an "accidental" appeal. The umpire must know you are trying to appeal (or double someone up who is off base or missed a base) but it doesn't have to be verbal. A SS taking a throw from an outfielder and running over to a base is a pretty obvious appeal. however, a player with ball in hand touching a missed base or player with no indication why she is doing that, that should not be automatically interpreted by the umpire as an appeal.
Thanks
I've seen it happen on forces like with based loaded 2 outs and a D3K where the catch happens to step on the plate and throws to first but that becomes the 3rd out even though she didn't even know she did it.
That's different. When she contacts home plate on this dropped third strike she is not making an appeal. Touching home plate on a force situation even if the catcher doesn't realize she contacted home plate is still an out. Appeals are for missing a base, leaving a base too soon, batting out of order..... Stuff like that.
