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Originally Posted by SRW
You lost me with that one... Are you saying that, in effect, if BR is now on 1B, that if R1 hasn't yet reached 2B that she can pretty much go wherever she wants, stopping, starting, returning, dropping her glove, whatever?
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Walk, so to speak, through it.
R1 is forced to vacate 1B when the batter becomes a batter-runner. 8.5.A states the runner is entitled to advance without liability to be put out. The effect reads:
The ball remains live unless it is blocked. Any runner affected is entitled to one base and may advance farther with liability to be put out if the ball is live. To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a time limit or required speed ever impossed on any R/BR in completing their running assignments.
Now comes the contradiction. 8.7.T applies to all runners once the BR reaches 1B and the ball is in possession of the pitcher completely inside the circle. There is no exception noted concerning a runner without liability to be retired.
The Rules Supplement refers to a BOB, but only to the BR. Then again, it also states that it is the runner's responsibility to adhere to the LBR and proceed directly to the base to which they were heading when the pitcher receives the ball in the circle.
So, you now need to make a decision. Which came first, the effect of the awarded base on balls or the LBR? Regardless of which way you rule, there is verbiage within the rules to support your decision.
Personally, I would probably give a slight benefit of doubt to the runner especially if she is doing something as simple has just picking up a dropped glove or slowing down/hesitating to hear her coaches instructions. OTOH, taunting the pitcher may bring a completely different reaction and ruling. As stated, verbiage to support eithing call.
Then again, the SP side of me may come out and say, "Damn, that plate is awfully dirty. I better clean it off before anything else can happen" and then have a simple me-to-you conversation with the coach between innings.