USA vs. Japan game ends on LBR violation

It looks like I am in the minority, but I think the call was correct. I recorded the game and watched it several times. The ball was in the circle and the runner stood for two full seconds before moving toward the base. I don’t know about ISF but in ASA ISA and FED, the rule states the runner must be moving immediately when the ball is returned to the circle. I give the runner about two seconds and it appeared the Umpire making the call did the same. There is no mention of how far the runner is off the base. As far as ending the game this way it was unfortunate, however, if you will call it in the first inning you should call it in the final inning. The call earlier in the game when the runner was called out for leaving early at first base was more border line than this one.

[Harshblue]

Like a lot of rules you can apply them as in the rule book or rule them as the INTENT the rule was written .
This is one of them .
The intent is to stop the cat and mouse between pitcher and runner , in this case it was not happening , the runner was returning to the base .
A classic example is if you rule a batter out for bunting on the 3rd strike .
Follow your definitions and see what you come up with and there are many more .
This was a bad call and as worse than the one last year when the Australian runner was ruled out for removing her helmet on base when there was no play .
Umpires should not get into the game this way , there was just no need .

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by latraveler

As a high school and rec umpire I have to say this call simply was a bad call. I've watched it over and over and over. The baserunner WAS stepping back to the bag and was only two steps away when Cat was in the circle. I see this SAME thing happen every week of the various seasons I umpire. Never would I have called it unless the player was failing to move. I had players farther off the base and be stepping back to the bag and not called it.

While I don't necessarily disagree with your opinion, what does the distance have to do with anything? I doesn't make any difference whether the runner is one step or 30 feet off the base, the LBR is an appropriate call if the runner does not return in a timely fashion.

Plus we always been told "Don't become part of the game", don't end the game on a "Controversial call", and don't become the "focus of the game".

Say what? If that means you don't make a call because it may become controversial or bring attention to the umpire, then I cannot disagree more. You see it, you call it regardless of where you are in the game.

This Ump sure became the "center of attention"! What a way to end and ruin a great series for the USA team.

I'm sure she wasn't looking for the attention. I have no doubt that Dora believe she made the appropriate call at the time. If you continued to watch after the call was made, she did confer with the crew and then made a second "out" signal reinforcing her original call. Don't know what was said at that point, but apparently none of her crew had anything to cause the call to be changed.

[3afan]

i saw it for the first time today - i thought it was way too quick for a LBR violation

[Dakota]

I don't have benefit of a recording to go frame-by-frame; the only video I've seen is the low-resolution long distance shot on the ESPN site, so it is hard to tell what the runner is doing between the time the ball is back in the circle and the runner makes her first obvious move (obvious on the video). But, the time between those two is 1+ seconds by my estimate. That is a quick LBR call, but not out of line.

Maybe the real perception problem is the PU waited another second or two to actually make the call, and by then the runner was moving.

You are correct this is the intent of the rule is to stop the cat and mouse between pitcher and runner. But you say in this case it was not happening. I don't know I can't read the runner's mind. The runner was standing there, Cat was not having anything to do with it turned and walked into the circle. The runner was returning to the base but not until standing still for two second after the ball was inside the circle.

The rule book states the runner must move immediately, This puts the judgment on the umpire. I feel two seconds is time enough to find the ball and start moving back or forward to a base. Your judgment may be three seconds, or maybe five or maybe stand there until you decided the runner is playing cat and mouse. If that is your judgment that is fine. I just don't call it that way.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

I don't know I can't read the runner's mind.

Weak "excuse" for not making a call or not being able to determine intent.

[Mountaineer]

I went back and watched it again and I don't see it - she's clearly retreating to the base when the PU calls her out. Wrong call - period.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

I went back and watched it again and I don't see it - she's clearly retreating to the base when the PU calls her out. Wrong call - period.

Instead of looking at when the PU made the call, look at when the ball was back in the circle. How long after that before the runner moved? I can imagine the reason for the delay in the call ("Did I just see what I saw????"). At least I can see me hesitating on the call...

[IRISHMAFIA]

Tom, I agree. I think part of the issue was the umpire's position. She was in a position that did not allow her to see both pitcher and runner at the same time. In her explanation to the coach, the umpire supposedly noted she looked at one then the other (pitcher and runner) and then again and made the call.

From our angle, and that of the cameras, we can all sit at our computer and judge, but none of us can say we would do anything different if it were us on the field. To do so would be very presumptuous.

[dtwsd]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Instead of looking at when the PU made the call, look at when the ball was back in the circle. How long after that before the runner moved? I can imagine the reason for the delay in the call ("Did I just see what I saw????"). At least I can see me hesitating on the call...

There was a replay of the game this weekend and I recorded it on my DVR. In watching the replays that ESPN showed, all of them were in slow motion. There was no "real time" replay to judge exactly how long Cat had the ball before the runner took her first step. I would like to have seen a replay at regular speed but from what I saw I believe (1) the PU was not in a good position to make the call and (2) was "probably" too quick on the triger. BU1 was in a much better position and didn't even put up the hammer until after PU started to.

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Weak "excuse" for not making a call or not being able to determine intent.

All I am saying is I don't know why the runner is standing there and don't care. I do know the runner has a a time period when she is required to start moving.

[bkbjones]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

All I am saying is I don't know why the runner is standing there and don't care. I do know the runner has a a time period when she is required to start moving.

And that time period would be ...

My rule book says immediately. Many officials will give a silent count of "one thousand one..." but that is not cast in stone.

[Rachel]

I called a look back rule violation to end a state tournament several years ago. I saw it and I called it. Any umpire that calls a game should just call the game. I did not think "Wow this will end the game". No TV though, but I did get followed to my car.

Was anyone who posted here at the game? What happened off camera?

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by latraveler

Plus we always been told "...don't end the game on a "Controversial call."

Please ask whoever is always telling you this to send back their trainers card. It's been revoked.