Forgive me if this question is rather obtuse, but it's been eating away at me, and I figured this was the place to go for help.
The last paragraph of the rule concerning sliding to bases on double play attempts reads:
"If the umpire determines that the runner violated this Rule 6.01(j), the umpire shall declare both the runner and batter-runner out. Note, however, that if the runner has already been put out then the runner on whom the defense was attempting to make a play shall be declared out."
I'm asking the meaning as to the last sentence (the "note, however" part). Does it, in rare cases, make another runner out in place of the batter-runner? I just don't understand it. I'll elaborate.
Does it concern, say, an offensive player sliding into third base who interferes with the fielder after being put out, with that fielder's subsequent throw going to second base to attempt to force out a runner going there? Is the player running toward second base out, instead of the batter-runner, since this was "the runner on whom the defense was attempting to make a play" on? Assume that the bases are loaded and the double play attempt is a put out at third followed by a throw to second, rather than your standard DP. Am I in the right ballpark, so to speak? This example isn't great, but it's nearly 2am here and it was the best I could do.
I understand the application of this rule mainly concerns cut and dry double play attempts at second, where the runner who was at first crashes into the shortstop or second baseman in order to break up the throw to first that would put out the batter-runner. But does that last sentence of the rule in some cases exempt the batter-runner from being automatically out, like in the case I presented above? Or is the batter-runner always out? Any help would be most welcome. Thanks guys. I'm thinking I'm right, but I could just as easily be misunderstanding the wording. I've only recently become interested in the rules and just want to understand them fully.
