Quote:
Originally posted by gsf23
So could I please get an explaination on the stealing rule. There was so much confusion about it here during our state tournaments that pretty much all of the teams just agreed not to steal.
What we were told was that if a player tried to steal, and the pitcher got the ball back before they could get to the base, they had to return to the base the were stealing from. Is that different now? If not, what is the reasoning behind that, pretty much defeats the whole purpose of trying to steal if all you have to do is flip it to the pitcher to make them go back.
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I don't know who instructed you on this matter, but they obviously did not pay attention to the NUS.
I've been hearing about the confusion the rule caused, but at the Armed Forces Championship, the umpires did not need to send any runners back because the players knew and understood the rules so well, they enforced it without the umpires even opening their mouth.
The rule NEVER stopped runners proceding to the next base unless one of multiple runners were not proceding when the catcher released the ball and the pitcher caught it near the pitcher's plate.
Now, any runner may steal at any time once the pitch has passed the front edge of the plate and has not touched the plate or the batter. They are not confined or restricted by the actions, or lack of, of any other runner.
The ball will not be declared dead until the pitcher has the ball in his/her possession in the infield and all obviously play is completed.