WMB,
I prefer to think of the LBR as a rule that says "if the runner does anything to cause the pitcher to
LOOK BACK at her after she (the runner) has committed to a base, then she is out." Given this interpretation of the rule, I think rules B, C, D, and E make more sense.
- Rule B says that if a runner overruns 1st base, stops and turns around in place, she still has the option of finding the ball, then returning to 1st or trying for 2nd.
- Rule C says that if the runner overruns 1st and makes a agressive move toward 2nd then she is committed to 2nd and even though she is allowed her one stop it doesn't matter and she had best figure out a way to get to 2nd safely because if she does anything else, she's out.
- Rule D says that if the runner makes a big J move to the left then stops, that the stop doesn't matter either because she has committed to 1st and if she decides after her stop to break for 2nd, then she's out.
- Finally, rule E says that if the runner turns to the right, she is committed to 1st and cannot attempt to go to 2nd whether she stops or not.
Rules C, D, and E, IMHO, let the pitcher know when she can ignore what the BR is doing and concentrate on other runners, or on getting ready for the next pitch. Now I will admit that a pitcher would most likely not ignore a runner in case C, but the smart pitcher will realize that that runner is now a sitting duck. She basically has 60 feet to get that runner out.
I have called out a bunch of "clever" runners who, on a walk with a runner on 3rd, have run through 1st, made a hard left and taken couple of steps toward 2nd trying to get the pitcher to make a play on her, then stopped and started strolling back to 1st when the pitcher did not take the bait, and to a lesser extent, I have also called out runners who have committed to 1st without stopping (by making a J to the left or the right) then have broken toward 2nd when they realized that the pitcher was not paying any attention to them. Almost everytime, I have had an offensive coach come out to question me about the runner getting 1 stop to decide what to do. As I see it, rules C, D, and E and to a lesser extent rule B eliminate a lot of the gamesmansship that could go on at 1st after a walk, which after all is then intent of the LBR in the first place.
SamC