[CecilOne]

Dakota,
"This had to have been intentional" might be the worst assumption I've heard from you. We seem to have proven again and again that there is no coordination or editing involved with the rule book(s).

All,
I have never believed a POE supercedes a Rule, as they are intended to be explanations or clarifications even when they are not.

I don't see a direct contradiction between the phrases Dakota quoted:
1) "while the pitcher has control of the ball within an eight foot radius of the pitcher's plate, the runner may stop once"
2) " and is stationary when the pitcher has the ball in the circle".
If the runner is stationary, the runner has stopped. If the runner is not stationary, meaning has not stopped, the runner "may stop once". So, #1 covers not stopped yet when F1 receives the ball and #2 covers already stopped. Either way, the important is not remaining stopped.

As said above, the phrase "continue towards that base" in the comment "when the pitcher receives the ball in the circle, that runner must continue towards that base, or be called out" contradicts everyone's understanding of the rule (see #1 above). I would not call an out in any of WMB's examples.
Besides, the "other than first base" phrase is inconsistent with the rest of the sentence. If a runner is moving toward 1st, LBR or not, the runner can not retreat.

The "make a play" factor only applies to F1, not F2. And even in #3 which is a play (F1 turns and looks); the issue is not whether the LBR applies but whether the quoted POE wording negates the runner's option to go either way.

For NFHS purposes, 8.7.1.A clearly says move either way.


[Edited by CecilOne on Feb 13th, 2004 at 12:49 PM]