What have you got?

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by SAump

OBR 7.08 (i) After he has acquired legal possession of a base, he runs the bases in reverse order for the purpose of confusing the defense or making a travesty of the game. The umpire shall immediately call “Time” and declare the runner out;

Yes, I feel the criteria of OBR 7.08(i) has been met. I thought this rule requires a runner to make an attempt to remain on his last legally acquired base or make an attempt to advance onward to the next base. R3 would be declared out for failing to maintain his last legally acquired base and retreating back toward 2B, while R2 has legally acquired 3B.

No, the rule requires no such thing. If it meant that - it would be more simple, and just say, "If after he has acquired legal possession of a base, he runs the bases in reverse order, the runner is to be declared out." There is a REASON for the dependent clause that appears after that in the rule. If the runner is running the bases in reverse to make a travesty of the game, call him out. If he's doing it to confuse the defense - call him out. Neither the OP nor my other sitch are intentional efforts to confuse or make a travesty. In my other sitch, he's retreating (legally, I might add) to avoid being tagged, and it's completely legal.