Trying to Score

coach, I saw that replay too and we all busted out laughing. Sorry no answer for you, but that was funny!

First, FED rules from the Casebook:
"8.2.2 SITUATION M: With R1 on second, B2 hits a grounder to left field. R1 touches third base but misses the plate in attempting to score. F7 having thrown home, F2 steps on the missed base to retire R1 and throws to F6 in an attempt to put out B2: (a) before R1 attempts to return home; or (b) after R1 attempts to return to touch home plate. RULING: (a) Upon proper defensive appeal, R1 would be ruled out. (b) Since R1 initiated action prior to the defense touching the plate, R1 must be tagged to record the out. R1 may legally return to touch home if he has not touched the steps of the dugout and if a subsequent runner has not yet scored."

OBR interpretation is the same: the runner is still allowed to return and touch home unless he has entered the dugout. He can be successfully appealed by simply touching home unless he is actively try to return, in which case the runner must be tagged.

Good call 3FG.
I was actually watching the game. The umpire got the whole thing right from beginning to end.
C blocked plate, runner tripped and flew and tumbled well past plate. Umpire made no call as to safe or out. Runner jumps up and tries to get back to plate. Catcher comes after him and runner dives to avoid tag before reaching home plate. Umpire still makes no call. Runner jumps up again and dives for the plate and catcher dives and just does tag him. Umpire calls him out. Great effort by both players, and great job by ump.

Also, worth mentioning is that the runner was at 3B, and if you watch the beginning of play closely, CF Adam Jones dekes catching the ball on the fly. This might have made runner/3rd base coach hesitate just enough to cause him to not beat the throw to begin with.

Thanks guys but I don't think I got my question across very well. How far will you let a runner go to try and get around the catcher to reach the plate?

The OBR rule was recently rewritten to clarify this point for any runner. In practice, umpires call it this way in all codes.

"7.08 Any runner is out when—
(a)(1) He runs more than three feet away from his baseline to avoid being tagged unless his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner’s baseline is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely; or..."

NCAA phrases it similarly:
"NCAA 8 SECTION 5. A runner is out when:
a. In running to any base, while trying to avoid being tagged out, the runner runs more than three feet left or right from a direct line between the base and the runner’s location at the time a play is being made."

Exactly what constitutes a tag attempt or play is not so easily defined. But as I understand the OP, the runner was subject to a tag attempt almost immediately, so the runner can't deviate more than three feet from a line to the plate (or any other base that he might be trying to reach).