caught stealing or picked off?

Caught Stealing:  10.07(h)(1)   

"(h) The official scorer shall charge a runner as “caught stealing” if such runner is put

out, or would have been put out by errorless play, when such runner

(1) tries to steal;

(2) is picked off a base and tries to advance (any move toward the next base shall

be considered an attempt to advance); or

(3) overslides while stealing.

Originally Posted by Craigh40:

Player A steals second base but apparently thinks he hears the plate umpire call foul ball (which he did not). Runner heads back to first and is subsequently tagged out by the defensive team as the ball remains live.

Is this:

A) Caught stealing because he was tagged out by the defense

or 

B) Pick off (in this case catcher to pitcher to 2nd baseman) as the runner had successfully stolen second and left the base voluntarily

Great question!

In my book I’d credit the pitcher with a pickoff, with nothing about a stolen base attempt. In order to be a SBA, the runner must make some attempt to advance to the NEXT base, not the LAST base. No SAB, no caught stealing.

A pickoff is something different. All it does is recognize the pitcher or catcher made a play on a runner. If the throw doesn’t get the runner, it’s a POA. If the runner is subsequently tagged out, it’s a PO. If during a POA the runner makes any move toward then NEXT base, it also becomes a SBA. So, there can be a POA and an SBA on the same play.

As for the given situation, think of it this way. Let’s say there’s a runner on 1^st, and between pitches he thinks time’s been called and walks off the base and gets tagged. Is he attempting to advance? No. Is he out? Yes.