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Candidly, I don't have a problem with where she ends up and what she does out there. There is no rule that says she must immediately return to the box or foul territory to get her sign. If she stays out there and hinders a play, then we rule accordingly.
Yeah, I suppose the one-foot-in-the-box rule in USA Softball would be appropriate if you really felt the need to address this within that organization. But even there, the requirement to immediately return to the box under the eight listed exceptions does not exist. We just have to be cognizant of the rule's intent--unnecessary game delays. As long as she gets back in the box with both feet and is ready for the pitch within ten seconds, I don't see why we have to be concerned with her hanging in fair territory after failing to execute the slap. But that's just me.
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"Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist." -- Bob Uecker
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