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Old Wed Oct 13, 2004, 03:51pm
WestMichBlue WestMichBlue is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: West Michigan
Posts: 964
Too many umpires are hung up over the definition of "immediately" in the LBR. My response is: "Who cares?"

Call the game in accordance with the intent, or spirit of the rule. LBR is designed to stop the game playing between the pitcher (or catcher) by a runner. If the runner is not taunting the pitcher, let her go. It doesn't matter if she hesitiates 0.1 seconds or 2.1 seconds. Just glance at her; if she goes back, then take a deep breath and go on with the game.

The only time I get concerned with the LBR is when the offense is trying to gain an advantage. This happens when a runner, usually at 1B, is trying to get a play on herself to get a runner home from 3B. In that situation I would agree that you need to hold the runner(s) to a fairly strick interpretation of the LBR.

WMB
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