We had a couple of threads earlier this year about that. Last one has a date of May 3. It seems that in ASA rule 8-4-G it states "If a runner stops or is clearly not advancing, when the catcher releases the ball to the pitcher (who is in the vicinity of the pitcher's plate), and the pitcher catches the ball, the play is ruled dead and all runner(s) are returned to the last base legally touched." This has been interpreted to mean if all runners are not advancing on the catchers release and the ball is caught by the pitcher in the vicinity of the pitchers plate all runners go back. Kind of a tough call when runners are on the corners and the runner on third having to go towards home where the ball is just to get their runner on first to second. Probably a change next year.
[Edited by Ed Maeder on Jun 24th, 2004 at 10:09 AM]
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