Ball Thrown Out of Play on Missed Based Appeal


 
B1 doubles to left field, but B1 missed touching first base on his way to second base. The defensive saw the missed base and is going to appeal. However, they usually play under MLB rules (where appeals can be made only when the ball is live) and they do not use the NF procedure (where appeals can be made while the ball is dead).
 
With the ball live, the pitcher goes to the pitching rubber, then properly disengages from the pitching rubber, and throws over to first base to appeal the missed base. The throw is wild and goes out of play.
 
What about B1:
A) Leave B1 at second base
B) Award B1 third base because the pitcher threw the ball out of play
C) Award B1 home because the pitcher threw the ball out of play
D) This is a balk -- the pitcher threw to an unoccupied base. Award B1 third base.
 
On the appeal of the missed base:
E) The defense has only one chance to execute an appeal play. Since they threw the ball away, no more appeals are allowed.
F) An appeal is not considered a play, the defense can still appeal.
 
Call
In NF, teams have the option of attempting a live-ball appeal or a dead-ball appeal. A dead-ball appeal makes our job easier by eliminating the chance that the defense will err during the appeal or the offense will attempt to advance during the appeal.

In the play below, with the ball live, the pitcher properly disengaged the pitching rubber, and then threw the ball out of play. This is a two base award to the base runner, so B1 is awarded home. The defense erred while attempting a live-ball appeal. In NF (and only NF), an appeal is not a play. The defense may attempt the appeal again. Check out NF 2-29-6 and casebook play 2.29.6B.