Lbr
 

Passed ball; R1 goes to 3B from 2B. R1 rounds third and takes a healthy lead. Catcher squares to throw to 3B but doesn't. Throws to pitcher instead who is in the circle - both feet.

Pitcher and R1 are having a staring contest. Neither moves. I call R1 out by LBR for not immediately making decision. Coach goes nuts

.....because

Previous inning, same situation. Pitcher is staring at R1 but is walking inside circle. Holding ball and looks like is ready to throw. Coach wants R1 out by LBR but I say no because in my opinion pitcher was looking as if she was making a play (though she didn't).

Was this proper interp of LBR?

From what you said, "Pitcher and R1 are having a staring contest. Neither moves" is not a play or a fake play, so out looks ok.

On the "walking inside circle. Holding ball and looks like is ready to throw"; also doesn't read like a play or a fake. Might be if "ready to throw" means a cocked arm or some movement. If "looking as if she was making a play" was your judgement, then correct call, no out.

Remember, "gotcha" is not defined as "LBR"; there needs to be protagonism by the runner.

These are almost always HTBT calls, since it is pretty hard to put into descriptive words what led you to the judgment in the second case that the pitcher was making a play. But, it was your judgment.

Pitcher and runner having a stare-off is a DMR. The runner is compelled to decide "immediately" and move. The pitcher can stand there all day (well, for 20 seconds of it anyway).

And, a pitcher holding her arm up with the ball may be judged to be a fake throw (and, hence, making a play), but just standing there with the arm raised staring down the runner becomes just standing there, eventually, and the runner must move. I'd give the runner enough time to figure out there is not really a play here, and then she must move or be out.

There is one definitive rule that you can use to apply to these two situations: the umpire's judgement as to whether a play was being made or not.

Decent rule of thumb - the moment the pitcher cocks the arm, "ready to make a play," LBR is off. If the arm just stays there, and YOU realize there's no imminent throw, then you should assume the runner should be aware that there's no imminent throw, and LBR is on. If the arm keeps making fake throwing motions, LBR stays off.