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Originally posted by pollywolly60
"...must immediately ... attempt to advance to the next base."
The words "must immediately return or must immediately attempt to advance" seem to imply the total movement of the batter - not just beginning moving. (IMHO)
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They don't imply that, and I don't infer that. The runner is obligated to
decide immediately, and indicate that decision by
starting to move immediately. The runner must continue, non-stop, toward the base chosen. The runner cannot, according to my high school physics teacher, "immediately" advance to the base, so there is no implication here of speed. Only movement.
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If in my judgement, I have a runner attempting to immediately advance to the next base ( in which case the runner will be running, NOT walking or strolling), and the pitcher steps on the pitcher's plate, as the PU I would call a "no-pitch" and allow that runner to attain the next base.
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Actually, what I would do is make an obvious move to indicate to the pitcher that she is not to pitch - move out up the baseline, move out into the infield, verbal command, something.
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If my timing is correct and the runner is truly attempting to advance, the runner will be reaching the base at about the same time I complete my "no-pitch" call. However, if the runner is merely walking or strolling between bases and the pitcher is clearly in the circle with control of the ball, then I don't believe the runner is truly "immediately attempting to advance". Maybe attempting to distract the pitcher, but not really attempting to advance.
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I disagree with your good/bad assessment of the runner's play. Base runners are allowed to, as Mike said, play the game.
Is a runner doing something shady because the runner attempts to get into a hot box in order to allow another runner to score? No. It is part of the game.
If a "no pitch" is necessary here (and the umpire should not jump the gun on that), then the runner will be "penalized" (sort of) by being sent back if her "advance" was so slow that she had not reached the half-way point at the time the ball was declared dead. But, the umpire should not attempt to enforce any particular style of play on the participants.