Quote:
Originally posted by CecilOne
I think a tap on the shoulder or even a nudge, away from the basepath, is way beyond the intent of the rule on coach's assistance.
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I want to explore this a bit. Of course, since this is a fictional play, we can visualize what we wish to visualize in making our well-considered, minutes-or-hours-or-days-to-think-about-it judgments, so nothing will be absolute.
The intent, as I have always thought of it, behind the coach's physical assist rule (actually the non-runner's physical assist rule) was that the runner in question must make all of the actual decisions regarding her play with only verbal or signal coaching from her coach, bench, whatever.
Clearly, as I visualize this play, time and silence were of the essence in the coach's actions. Time because he needed the BR to stop in her tracks, being only a step or so from entering DBT. Silence because he didn't want to tip the defense that she was not yet out.
Would a shout "GO TO FIRST" have worked? Probably wrt stopping the BR and having her make an attempt to first. Probably not wrt the defense. They'd have heard the shout also and may have been able to make the throw or tag in time.
Would a quieter or more vaguely worded instruction have worked? Maybe, but maybe the BR would have taken that extra step.
So, the coach decided to tap her on the shoulder. The natural reaction to a tap on the shoulder is to stop and turn, which is what she did. Sounds illegal to me - a physical assist where the physical contact is what caused the BR to change her direction.
Now, OTOH, same play but with the BR 10 feet from the dugout. In this case, the light tap on the shoulder was unlikely to have been critical to the successful coaching of the BR to continue the play. Probably no call.
Comments?