It actually makes sense.
When an obscure rule of sports comes up, usually I’m screaming my head off because I know the rule. I’m upset at the players or coaches wondering how they play the game without knowing the rule. Knowing specific rules can give you an advantage. Since I was an “unathletic athlete” in high school, I had to know every little rule so I could find any advantage to close the gap with someone who was an athlete.
The “fourth-out rule” is actually a rule I never knew existed, and I learned something about the game. If you follow the logic behind the rule, it makes sense.
Here’s what happened: top of the 2nd, runners on second and third, one out. Line drive through the box caught by Haren. That’s out number two. Haren turns to throw the ball to Lopez at second. As Lopez is running to tag Juan Pierre who’s well off the bag at second, Andre Ethier touches home plate without tagging up.
I’m sure you’ve seen an appeal play before. If a runner breaks too early tagging up, the pitcher steps on the rubber and addresses the plate to put the ball back in play. Then he announces he’s appealing and throws the ball to a fielder closest to the bag. The fielder steps on the bag and the umpire rules safe or out.
As far as scoring runs is concerned, that’s simple. A run can not score as long as a force out is possible. If a runner reaches home before the third out, the run counts unless there is a force play. By Lopez not touching second base, he didn’t force out Pierre at second. Since Pierre was tagged out and not forced out, Ethier’s run scored before the third out of the inning. Normally, that’s easy to understand. The problem here is, the runner on third didn’t tag up either. So how does a runner score that didn’t tag up?
The play gets weird now. Ethier’s run doesn’t count until Eric Byrnes runs off the field (yes, I found a way to blame something else on Byrnes). If the D-backs would have appealed the play by never calling time out, and announced to the third base umpire they were appealing Ethier leaving the bag, Ethier would have been called out. Obviously, that’s the fourth out of the inning and that’s why it’s called the fourth-out rule. Technically, it’s not the fourth out. The defense gets to choose which out they want as the third out. By choosing Ethier as the third out, he doesn’t score. In the scorebook, Pierre is no longer out at second and he’s stranded at second (despite being called out).
The reason why Byrnes gets the blame is the opportunity to appeal ends when all defensive players leave fair territory. As long as there’s one fielder in fair territory, the D-backs can still return to the field of play and appeal the play at third. Byrnes was in right field and the D-backs were in the third base dugout. He was the last one off the field. As soon as he crossed the third base line on his way to the dugout, the D-backs lost the right to appeal.
To make it easier to understand, think of landing on Boardwalk. If you want to, you can announce you’ve landed on Boardwalk and pay your rent to the owner of the property. However, if you’re anything like me, you pay nothing until you’re asked for the money by the owner. The Dodgers don’t have to announce to the D-backs they didn’t tag up at third, it’s up to the D-backs to appeal the play.
So the fast explanation for the four-out rule: 1) runner scores before third out, 2) third out is recorded via tag instead of force out, 3) defense leaves field before appeal is made.
The one thing about the four-out rule that isn’t being said, none of this would matter if the D-backs came to the plate with a plan, executed that plan, and manufactured runs. It’s another great Dan Haren performance wasted.
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Though strange, this rule does appear to have been called correctly during the game and as such the responsiblity for the result rests squarely on the Dbacks players and coaching staff. However, looking at the rule I noticed one inconsistency in your summary of the situation and that is regarding Eric Byrnes. According to the rule, found in the link you referenced, “For the purpose of this rule, the defensive team has “left the field” when the pitcher and all infielders have left fair territory on their way to the bench or clubhouse.” Since it explicitly states that the infielders and pitcher are the players who determine when the team had “left the field”, I hate to say that Byrnes might in fact not be directly at fault here. Not that he hasn’t proven himself more than worthy of our scorn, but he appears to have slipped of the hook this time.
if the player was forced to return to second base, is it not a force out even though he chose to tag him. I thought a tag out was when you had to tag him as your only option.
Do you know the rule on this?
Tere is a difference between a ‘force’ play and a ‘time’ play. A force play is one in which a runner is ‘forced’ to advanced and the defense can get an out by merely touching the next base in front of the runner. A ‘time’ play is one where the ‘time’ of the last out has a bearing on the play. Because a runner has left early or failed to ‘tag up’ does NOT make it a force play although it is true that the runner is out if the ball makes it back to the base before the runner does (’doubled off’).
In essence, what is happening when the defense throws the ball back to a base to ‘double off’ the runner is they are actually performing a ‘live ball’ appeal. They are making the unmistakable act of stating to the umpire, “This guy left early”. If a runner misses a base or fails to retouch a base and the ball becomes ‘dead’. Once the ball becomes ‘live’, the defense can then appeal by having the pitcher step off the rubber throw the ball to the fielder closest to the bag and announce their appeal.
Here is something that is NOT widely known. They must appeal the correct runner at the correct base. For example, If there are runners at first (say #9) and second (#11) and the batter hits a gapper and both runners attempt to score and the runner from first misses third base. It is up to the defense to state which runner missed the bag. They have to say, “#9 (or ‘the runner from first’…)” If they fail to say which runner, the appeal is denied. If they throw the ball out of play during the appeal process, they lose the right to appeal ANYTHING from that play.
Believe me, those guys in the big leagues KNOW THE RULES and the common and accepted interpretations. It wasn’t until Joe Torre came out to question the play that the run was scored. And because the DBacks had already left the field, they lost their right to appeal.
I don’t believe it matters if he touched the runner off second or touched 2nd base. All that matters is the run scored before the third out was made (the third out was an appeal out not a force out). So if the runner on third tagged up properly and reached home before the third out (regardless of how the third out was made), the run should score.
Yes, If he had tagged properly and crossed the plate prior to the last out being recorded (either by tagging the base or the runner) then it does become a time play. But Ethier did NOT tag up and they lost the right to appeal once the infielders crossed the foul line.
The umpire did not score the run until Torre came out to question it and then when Melvin came out he was informed that by rule the run scores and because they had already left the field they lost their right to appeal. Doesn’t happen often, but the umps nailed it. This is where a veteran like Clark can see what is going on and stop everyone and slow it down and determine what needs to happen.
What happens if the pitcher steps on the rubber and balks in making his appeal throw to the base? Does he lose the right to appeal?
That’s assuming there is a runner on base…
RogersUmp, I believe the balk would constitute a “play” by the defense, because you’d have to move runners up now, which would then negate the ability to appeal what happened two plays ago.
So long as the offense doesn’t instigate the play, the defense can’t make any new play, then go back and appeal.
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I’m Out!