BR retreats towards home plate. Legal?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by Justme561

I guess I haven't done enough 'baby ball' where things like this happen. Run all the way back to HP hoping that the fielder will fall down? Did you coach your players to do that? Hopefully the opposing coach taught his fielders to throw the ball to 1B when the BR ran toward HP. I admit it Rich, I do not understand that strategy. But maybe some day I will so that I can be as good of an umpire as you think you are.

Hell - I've seen MLB players do it.

Any time you can forstall an out you open up the possibility of a good thing happening.

I don't know if there's an avaliable video anywhere but there was a play in MLB 50 or so years ago when a batter hit a ground ball up the 1B line. F3 (Norm Cash if I remember right) fielded the ball and looked to tag the BR. The BR stopped dead in his tracks. F3 turned and threw the ball to F1. BR then ran right by F3 and made it to 1B safely.

Do something strange - it may have a good result.