ASA Look Back Rule II

[Stu Clary]

Hmmmm...have I found the answer?

The OP said F1 faked the throw to 2B while all runner were on base. "Play" is defined in Rule 1 as "an attempt by a defensive player to retire an offensive player..."

If the runners are on base, how can F1's fake be an attempt to retire the runner?

Therefore, has a "play" been made?

Still, I have to say that if this happened in a game I was working the game would be over.

[greymule]

If the runners are on base, how can F1's fake be an attempt to retire the runner?

I thought of that, too. The argument could be made (1) that if a runner is off a base and has responsibilities under the LBR, then F1's faking of a throw or raising of her arm would remove those responsibilities temporarily—until the pitcher stopped such actions and the runners had time to recognize that their responsibilities had been reinstated—but also (2) that if all runners are on their bases and F1 has the ball in the circle, F1's actions cannot then "release" the runners.

Under this thinking, when all runners are stopped on their bases and F1 has the ball in the circle, the game situation has changed from possible LBR infraction to simply "everybody on their bases while we wait for the batter." At this point, there are no plays or fakes possible, as if the pitcher, even by making what looks like a fake (or, I assume, even leaving the circle) cannot re-start what has already been stopped. A runner who now left the base in this situation would be out, not on the LBR per se, but because she left before the pitch was delivered.

I don't buy that argument, but who knows?

[Dakota]

If there is no play possible, then what was F1 doing? Trying to fool the runner to make them step off the base? Why would she do that? To get an out? Isn't that an attempt to retire the runner, and hence, a play? So, in conclusion, it is not a play unless it is a play...

[pollywolly60]

OP -

This is the correct call.