Quote:
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Originally Posted by BretMan
Why not? Because the rule states that it applies to a runner running the bases in either "regular (forward) or reverse order".
As long as that "reverse order" path is a straight line back toward the previous base (within the allowable three feet deviation), the runner has not committed a violation.
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That's the justification I was looking for.
Believe it or not,
this
exact same scenario was presented to me by another umpire earlier in the year. The other umpire, a new guy we'll call Timmy, wanted to call the out for retreating on a forced runner to avoid the tag. When I explained to Timmy that ya can't do that unless it was the BR, he then tried to tell me R2 was forced to 3B, and
had to run forward or stop, but couldn't go backwards to avoid the tag. He had a pretty much convinced himself he was correct until I explained that by rule runners can go backwards. That's why we have rundowns, and rules for two runners being on one base.