In baseball, a base runner travels counterclockwise around the diamond, from home to first base to second base to third base and back to home. As spelled out in the Official Baseball Rules, published by Major League Baseball, he has to touch each base as he goes. If he "skips a base" -- runs past the base without touching it -- he can be called out. But he's not out automatically. The opposing team has to notice that he skipped the base.
Touching in Order
The runner must touch each base in order as he runs. If he realizes that he has failed to touch a base, he can stop and run back to touch that base, then proceed forward again -- if, after all his back-and-forth, he thinks he can still make it to the next base. However, once the play ends and the ball is "dead," a player who has missed a base can no longer go back and touch the base he skipped. He'd just better hope no one noticed.
Reverse Order
In some instances, a base runner may have to run in reverse order. For example, if there's a speedy runner on first base and the batter hits a long, high fly ball that the runner believes will be out of the park for a home run. The runner takes off around the diamond, touching second base, then third base and heading toward home. But the outfielder makes a spectacular catch, which means the runner must return to first base. As he goes back, he must touch each base in reverse order. The same rules apply as when he's going forward: If he skips a base on his way back, he can scoot back to touch it -- but once the play is dead, he can no longer go back.
The Consequences
If a player has missed a base, the fielding team can put him out. If the play is still going on, the fielding team can tag the base he missed or tag the runner himself, in which case he's out. If the play has ended and the ball is "dead," the fielding team can appeal to the umpires by having the pitcher toss the ball to a fielder, who then tags the missed base. Appeals must occur before the next play. If the pitcher throws a pitch, for example, or tries to pick a runner off another base, his team loses the ability to appeal. Even if the pitcher commits a balk or accidentally throws the ball away while trying to appeal, that's a "play," and the team loses its ability to appeal.
Umpire-Ordered Repositioning
If the ball is dead and the umpire orders a player to return to an earlier base, that player is not required to touch all bases in order, and he is not out if he skips a base. Say there's a runner on first base, and he advances to third on a line drive hit down the foul line. As he's standing on third, the umpires confer and determine that the line drive was in fact a foul ball, in which case the runner must go back to first. In such a case, he doesn't have to go all the way around the diamond, touching second on his way back. He can cut across the diamond, going straight back to first, if he chooses.
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