Quote:
Originally Posted by Dakota
ASA Rule 8-7-T-2 is partially quoted in the title...
Situation being discussed on the Fed board, and I don't remember it ever coming up before.
One out, runner on 1B. B hits a long fly ball to LF. R1 is between 2B & 3B when the ball is caught. R1 returns to 1B, but misses 2B along the way. The defense returns the ball to F1 in the circle, who holds the ball not making any play while the runner is returning to touch 2B. The runner touches 2B and immediately heads back toward 1B.
Did the runner's touch of 2B constitute a stop at 2B, and is the runner now out on a look-back violation?
My reasoning is even though the runner (by the laws of physics if nothing else) did technically stop (in order to reverse direction), she did not stop AT the base, she just reversed direction, so it is not a LBR violation.
Consider this variation: R1, in returning to touch 2B, overruns slightly and THEN reverses direction. That, clearly, would not be a LBR violation.
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We discussed it a little bit in regards to the question that started the thread on the Fed board.
Personally, I don't think the intent of the rule was to stop offensive plays in progress by looking at all the instantaneous velocities of the runner. I think it was to allow the pitcher to focus on pitching. Absent direction otherwise, I won't make this kind of a call unless the runner is stopped long enough for me to realize they've stopped.
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IntimateAngela