Baseball scoring question ...

Ahh, good call. My mistake.

 

No, CCaple, you were right originally. The play at first is actually an appeal play, not a force out, so the run scoring would be a timing play. As long as the runner on third scores before the out is recorded at first, the run counts. In that case, the defensive team could still, even after the third out, appeal to third to take the run off the board.

To add, here's the approved ruling in rule 4.09 that covers this (At least the run scoring part, doesn't have R3 leaving early but the run is valid until the play at third is appealed):

 

Excellent grab, Juice.

In the case of Ethier, he did not cross the plate before Lopez put on the tag. Just Vanover trying to make himself the story.

 

Simon, I think you were right the first time. If I'm reading this rule correctly, this example indicates the runner at third tagged up, in which case the run would indeed count. But in CCaple's example my understanding is the runner did not tag up, but simply broke for the plate. If that is the case, then I think you wave off the run the same as if a routine double-play was recorded.

 

I dunno.

If they aren't calling that out at first a "force out", it seems that you had better appeal that "Ethier runner" at third.

 

The problem is thinking of the runners (both at first and third) as force outs. They're not forced out. It's a play that has to be appealed. That makes it a timing play. That said, an "advantageous fourth out" can be recorded when it takes a run off the board. In the case CCAple mentioned, the run would count unless the team appealed to third base. If they don't, the runner on third is assumed to have tagged up legally and the run stands.