Preventative What?

[Manny A]

From the USA Softball site under its latest case plays:

Play: With R1 on 1B, B2 has a 2-1 count. The next pitch is a ball and B2, thinking it is ball 4 heads to 1B and R1 advances to 2B. The plate umpire states that was only ball 3, so B2 comes back to bat with a 3-1 count. What happens to R1?

Ruling: In this play the offensive and defense have the responsibility to know the count. When R1 advanced to 2B the ball remains live as if they were stealing. B2 would be returned to bat and R1 would remain on 2B. However this is a great preventative umpire situation. When the plate umpire sees B2 start to 1B, call time and now nothing can happen and we will have less of a problem than if we had allowed the play to continue.

Umm, I don't think so. I'm calling out, "BALL THREE!!" loud and clear, and let the chips fall where they may. I'm not going to be the tenth defender on the field.

What next? Call Time when the retired batter takes off for first base on an uncaught third strike when first is occupied with less than two outs? Call Time following a foul tip when a runner advances, and then leaves the base to return to his/her previous base thinking a foul tip is a dead ball? Call Time when we fail to call IFF, the infielder muffs the catch, and the runners take off?