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Originally Posted by tcannizzo
One thing was not clear in the OP and probably HTBT.
Basically, the pitcher and runner at 3rd have a stare down, but neither makes a move.
If the pitcher was judged to be making a play on R1, then the LBR is off. It is my interp that if the pitcher makes any gesture that could cause the runner to think that the pitcher was making a play, there is no LBR.
In the OP, if F1 was "aggressively" in a stare down with R1, then play on. But if she was not in a "threating" posture, then we have LBR violated.
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I'd be careful ruling a stare (even an aggressive one) as a play, especially since because of the name of this rule, coaches are out there teaching their pitchers that they have to LOOK at the offending runner. Yes, it's wrong, but they are out there. An aggressive step toward the runner? Sure, I could see that being called a play if the runner reacted to it. But absent movement (arm or legs) that might make a runner react, I can't see removing LBR restrictions solely based on a stare from the pitcher, even if it's an "aggressive" stare.