Teachable - Awarding Bases on Infielder's First Wild Throw

Mets batter-runner Brandon Nimmo's hustle in the bottom of the 6th inning against Houston Tuesday helped generate a run for New York when Astros 1B Alex De Goti fielded and threw Nimmo's ground ball into the dugout, care of obstruction at third base. How should umpires award bases on an infielder's first throw?

Play: With two out and JD Davis on first base (R1) during Spring Training action in Florida, Mets batter Nimmo hit a ground ball to Astros 1B De Goti, who momentarily booted it before recovering the ball between first and second base. Seeing Davis attempting to advance to third base, De Goti threw toward third, resulting in a misplay, collision, and obstruction call by 3B Umpire Andy Fletcher as the loose ball rolled into the third base dugout, ruled out of play by HP Umpire Ron Kulpa.

Call: Following the conclusion of play, the umpires awarded R1 Davis home plate and BR Nimmo third base.

Rule: Official Baseball Rule 5.06(b)(4)(G) governs base awards on balls thrown out of play: "Each runner including the batter-runner may, without liability to be put out, advance—two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field, a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench..."

The question, then, is two bases from what point? The answer, regarding a batted ball, depends on whether the throw was the first play by an infielder and, if so, what the batter-runner's position was at the time of the throw. The following summary shall guide such base awards:

> 1st Play by Infielder and batter-runner has not yet reached first base: Time of Pitch.

> 1st Play by Infielder not all runners have not yet advanced at least one base: Time of Pitch.

> 1st Play by Infielder and all runners, including batter-runner have advanced 1+ bases: Time of Throw.

> 2nd Play by Infielder, all runners have advanced 1+ bases, or any play by Outfielder: Time of Throw.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Wild Throw During HOU-NYM Illustrates Umpires' Award Considerations (CCS)