[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally posted by WestMichBlue

The issue is a B-R running (not rounding) through 1B towards right field. ASA or NFHS: There are four sentences dealing with run-through, three of which seem to be unrelated to LBR.

e) says that a runner who turns right must return to 1B. No stop, no decision – just go to 1B. Why? How is this LBR?

It is a decisive rule. Players would run through 1B, turn right, saunter back toward 1B in foul territory and step over 1B and start toward 2B in an effort to get a pitcher to react. Coaches argument was that since the runner never actually stopped, she still has another stop left.

d) says that a runner who turns left and starts back towards 1B must continue to 1B. No stop, no decision – just go to 1B. Why? How is this LBR?

Another decisive rule. Runners would run through the bag, start back toward 1B and just before reaching the bag, head toward 2B for same reason as above.

c) says that a runner who turns left and moves towards 2B – and stops – is committed to 2B and must go non-stop to 2B. Why can’t she return to 1B after the stop?

Same as above.

b) is the only one that follows LBR logic. It says that a runner that turns left – and stops – then must move non-stop to either 1B or 2B.

Nothing new or exciting here, but it does not relate to running "through" 1B, but continuing to run (rounding) the bases.

IMO, the first three are absolute garbage. They were just made up by somebody with no logical tie-in to the LBR. B is the only one needed (if it were re-worded to say “turns left or right”).

Definitely have to disagree with this. Most, if not all rules are based on problems which occurred on the field and initiated at the coaching level. They were considered as an abuse of the LBR and were put into place to avoid the possible "stand-off" BS as there is no guidance on speed, a runner returning to 1B could take minutes to complete.

Fortunately, this situation will seldom happen. A B-R running through 1B indicates that he/she is trying to beat the play. For the pitcher to have the ball indicates that the fielder decided they did not have a play and, rather than chance a bad throw, simply flipped to ball to the pitcher. But if it did, would you know what to call. If I could go on any softball field in this country on some night in May, I doubt if I would find 1 umpire in a 1,000 that would know these four rules. (1 in 10,000?)

Another disagreement with this one. If the umpire doesn't know the rule, they either don't attend clinics or take the time to learn the rules, OR their UIC has failed to instruct them properly. BTW, it seldom happens because rules have been initiated against it. To remember how to rule, an umpire can think of the reversal of direction when the batter turns back toward the field as the "stop" allowed and handle it from there.

Any opinions as to why they exist? Do the first three make sense to you?

You asked for 'em, you got'em. And, yes, they make sense to me. Even though the NCAA allows a runner to turn back toward 1B and still have an option to go to 2B, once they step outside the extended basepath, they have committed themself to that base. IOW, the reversal (stop and turn) is to be treated as the allowed "stop" in the rule.