What is an "appeal play" in baseball?

An "appeal play" in baseball specifically refers to a scenario in which the defensive team brings a situation to the umpire's attention regarding a potential violation by the offense, typically a base running infraction. This could include situations such as a runner failing to touch a base, leaving a base too soon during a tagged-up situation, or any other rules that may have been ignored or misinterpreted concerning the rules of base running.

When the defensive team makes an appeal, they must do so according to the specific guidelines outlined in the rules, such as verbally calling for the appeal or properly executing a play that will demonstrate the infraction in question. The umpire then makes a ruling based on the appeal made by the defense.

This understanding of appeal plays reinforces the concept that only the defensive team can officially question the actions of runners in this context, distinguishing it from other scenarios such as time-outs or defensive maneuvers that don't relate to challenges regarding base running rules.