Baseball question

[LennG]

This was presented to me at our umpire's dinner last night and it did stump many of the umpires.

How many hits can one team get in one inning without scoring a run, and please explain?

[jimv]

I'll take crack at it, Lenny.

SIX:  Three regular singles & three hit runners.

[LennG]

Excellent Jim.

I had it a different way but that last out has to be made by a ball hitting a runner. The batter is credited with a single and the runner from 3rd cannot score on that play.

[Giant Obsession]

Lenn, I am sure it did not stump you.  You are the guru of rules.  I know the rules pretty well, but your quizzes and questions are mind twisting.
I usually print them out and share them with my brother and nephews, all baseball savvy, and we must spend 10-15 minutes on some of your situations.
It is nice having you around 

[LennG]

Thanks Mike.

If you like I could post several more.

[LennG]

OK Jr umpires, here's one that happened today.

Man on first 1 out. He attempts to steal second. Batter swings and misses, but the 3rd base coach thought he fouled the ball off. I guess everyone thought the ball was fouled, though we, as umps, said nothing because there was nothing. The runner, hearing the coach say foul ball, goes back to 1st base, and he remains there.

So he had 2nd base stolen and basically abandoned it to go back to first. Is this legal? Say the defense tagged him while he was standing back on first base, would he be out?

[LennG]

Might as well answer this for the group.

The Runner, AND the COACH are pretty stupid. Telling the runner that the ball was fouled, without the umpire saying anything is pretty poor. And what does that say about the defense and the opposing manager?. It's like in football when they just leave a fumble sitting there because no one thought it was a fumble and no whistle blew.

anyway, the runner, not being very smart, returned to 1st base, which is not illegal. The defense could, anytime up until the next play or pitch, appeal second or tag the runner, to have him be declared out. Once that play happens or pitch is thrown, then everything that happened before is nullified and the runner would be safe at 1st.