ASA RS#38 EXCEPTION

Question
Can you please clarify the EXCEPTION to RS#38 first paragraph "When the runner is returning to first base ........"

I am assuming this is dealing with a runner that has left 1B on a fly ball she thought was going to drop in the outfield, a legal catch was made, and she is returning to 1B to avoid being put out.

If all parts of the rule are met, the awarding of home plate seems excessive to me.  If the runner legally attempts to advance after touching a fielder, she could reasonably reach 2B.  Under this scenario, if the ball is thrown out of play, the runner would be between 1B and 2B at the time of the throw and under normal overthrow penalties would be awarded 3B.

It seems as though she is being rewarded for leaving the base early and then having an overthrow .... maybe I have figured this out while thinking about it ...... let me know if this scenario is correct ....

Because the runner is between 2B and 3B at the time of the throw she is awarded home plate.  If the runner did in fact leave early on a legally caught ball, she would have to return to 1B to touch the base missed (R8-S5-G-EXCEPTION 2) without liability to be put out (dead ball).  She would then go back 2B (the last based touched at the time of throw) and then take the two base award (3B and home plate).

Answer
Hi Don,

This part of the Rules Supplement is a bit confusing, I admit.  When the runner who was on 1B leaves before the fly ball is touched/caught, or missed 1B on a batted ball, and advances as far as between 2B and 3B, she has legally reached 2B as far as the rules are concerned, until put out by either a live or dead ball appeal play.  On her way back to 1B she needs to retouch 2B.  Then, after retouching 1B, on her way back to home plate, she needs to retouch 2B, touch 3B, then touch home plate.  3B and home plate are her awarded bases, two bases beyond 2B, which was the last base she had touched at the moment the thrown ball left the outfielder's hand

It doesn't matter how far the runner would have advanced if they would have tagged up or touched 1B properly.  That would be an indeterminable guess by the umpires.  The only thing that matters is how far the runner actually had advanced when the ball left the fielder's hand.

The runner isn't being rewarded for leaving 1B early or missing it.  She's being rewarded for the overthrow which carelessly occurred when the defense had her dead cold/dead meat between 2B and 3B.  That runner could have been literally as far as 119' away from 1B, if she had managed to get just 1' away from 3B when the ball left the fielder's hand: 59' back to 2B and then 60' more from 2B back to 1B.  She's nothing but incredibly lucky that she wasn't doubled up at 1B on a live ball appeal play.

Scott Kelly