The following page deals with baseball appeal rules. In our infinite wisdom and judgment and experience we have found an appeal must be obvious. It should be indicated verbally or manner or both. In other words baseball appeal rules should be spoken or shown by a physical action. If it is multiple appeals it must be verbalized.
For example: if there is more than one runner, the fielder must identify and specify which runner he is appealing and to which base he is appealing. First runner missed third, and tag third base, second runner missed second base, etc. Remember you cannot give a judgment unless the baseball appeal rules are qualified. An umpire must give no indication that a base was missed until you are asked. You must know what actions can be appealed and if you haven’t seen a runner miss a base or you are not sure a batter completely swung at a pitch, do not call an out or a strike. Watch runners feet touch the base. If the runner does not touch say or act as nothing happened. Baseball appeal rules can’t happen until someone asks for them. If a coach or player argues he missed the base vehemently and you did not see it tell them “He may not have touched the base but I did not see it.”
I had a play in an NCAA game. In one half of an inning an appeal was made at first that a player did not touch base. I didn’t know. He may not have, I didn’t see it. I had an argument. I said I did not see it. I had a mental conference with myself and thought I need to look for that. I don’t want to miss it. The next half inning I was looking at a runner who missed first base. I plainly saw it. An appeal was made and I said OUT! The argument started. I emphatically said I saw it and I did. I was asked why I did not see it all the time. Well I don’t know. I am human. I can’t see everything. The manager had some verbiage toward me personally. He was ejected from the game. What to gain from this? Always look for appealable plays. You can’t always see everything but when you do, call it. We talked earlier about not evening up. I may have been able to even up but I was honest first. Be honest and you will be respected.
WHAT ACTIONS CAN BE APPEALED?
1. Batting out of order
2. Runner fails to touch or retouch a base
3. Partial or checked swing
(Please notice these three appeals are made by the defense if a violation is on the offense)
