Protection Between Bases with No other Runners

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

"...protection between the bases remains until ALL PLAY ENDS (ball in circle, and runners stopped on their base)"

F6 runs OBS runner back to the protected base. While still holding the ball, asks for and receives TIME. All play has ended at that point.

Not trying to pick nits, but I'd like to clarify the parenthetical (especially the "and")

If I were the rules editor, you would have a difficult getting me to codify what happens when the umpire DOESN'T follow approved mechanics. Because the right answer when F6 requests time in that instance is to not grant it, until the ball is in the circle, because we don't grant time to stop play.

The exception is when the ball is wet; we don't force the pitcher to handle the wet ball. Any other time, F6 needs to get the ball to F1 in the circle. If F6 cannot accomplish that, then the runners need to be free to advance, not limited by the umpire.