[wallabee4]

4 baseball questions from my son's minor-level little league games, think I know the answers, but am honestly beginning to think I am crazy...

If batter is walked (4 balls) and goes to first base with no one else on base, can that walked player continue on to steal 2nd and 3rd if no one is looking (not that ball is loose, just that no one notices him stealing) since he was only supposed to walk to first?

If a pitcher is replaced in the middle of throwing to a batter and has racked up 3 balls and no strikes, does the count get re-set for the new pitcher or does it continue at 3 balls?

Must a runner be tagged (for an out) at 3rd base or can just the base be tagged?

Must a player be tagged (for an out) at homeplate or can just the base be tagged?

[smearcase]

These are the official baseball rules to the best of my knowledge (not any special little league rules that may be in effect).
After a walk, the ball is out of play until it is at least in the hands of the pitcher. The walked batter cannot continue past first base until the essentially dead ball has been put back in the hands of the pitcher. I cannot think of an instance in baseball where--whether or not anyone is watching has any bearing on anything (except a fan daydreaming as a foul ball comes toward his head).
The ball and strike count on the batter does not change when a new pitcher comes in the game. If the count was 3 balls and any number of strikes before the new pitcher came in and the new picher threw a ball on his first pitch--the batter would be walked and go to first base.
Both of the last two questions depend on a lot of other circumstances.
A force out is when the runner must reach the base or home plate before the ball arrives--such as 2 runners on base, the batter hits a grounder to the short stop--the short stop has only to get the ball to the third baseman before the runner gets there. In other words, a forced out (no tag necessary) runner has nowhere else to go because the bases behind him are now occupied or about to be occupied.
A tag is required if the runner has chosen to try and reach the base--he is not forced to go to that base. Or a tag would be required if a runner tries to steal a base or if a runner tried to get back to the base he had just left and no batted ball is in play (leading off the base to get a jump on stealing
Or trying to return to his last base because a fly ball was just caught.

[wallabee4]

Thanks much, Smearcase, that just about does it. Can you give an opinion/answer yet on the walk/base stealing if you know that in our league the ball does not actually go out of play and into the hands of the umpire at any point of the game. When a 4th ball or pitch hitting a batter results in a walk, the catcher simply tosses it back to the pitcher and they await the next batter up. The walked player(s) have run to 1st base and often round that base and go on to second in the same movement before the next batter has come to the plate or any pitch is thrown.

[smearcase]

This is what I have found:
START QUOTE 6.08 The batter becomes a runner and is entitled to first base without liability to be put
Out (provided he advances to and touches first base) when—
(a) Four “balls” have been called by the umpire;
Rule 6.08(a) Comment: A batter who is entitled to first base because of a base on balls must go to
First base and touch the base before other base runners are forced to advance. This applies when bases
Are full and applies when a substitute runner is put into the game.
If, in advancing, the base runner thinks there is a play and he slides past the base before or after
Touching it he may be put out by the fielder tagging him. If he fails to touch the base to which he is
Entitled and attempts to advance beyond that base he may be put out by tagging him or the base" END QUOTE

The rule says a batter with a four ball count is-"entitled"-to first base. It does not say as many bases as he can achieve. The rest of the quote discusses the other runners who might be on base at the time of the walk and 'think there is a play' which means to me that they have been inattentive and run to second or third base, slide because they think a throw is coming to that base, slide past the base and get tagged out because they are past the base--they are out. Just because the runners are actually advancing because of the walk doen't give them a right to be past the base that they as runners are entitled to.

Maybe there is something more specific in the rule book and if I ever see it I will post that too. Not sure if the exact situation you describe is covered because even if a runner could continue past first base on a walk, well on his way to second base--it would be suicide in MLB.