LBR lesson

[DTQ_Blue]

I did a very good game 2 nights ago as BU. I noticed that home team base runners would all come off the base on the pitch and begin to return to their base just as F2 was in the act of throwing back to F1. Then finally, a runner at 2B did this, but after 1 step toward the base (by which time the pitcher had the ball in the circle) the runner does a quick 180 pivot and heads toward 3B (she was out F4 to F5, close play, throw right on the money).

The play looked very different from what I was used to seeing so as I later thought it over here is what I came up with.

Most of the time the runner does not begin to retreat to the base until F1 has the ball in the circle. In such cases, the runner has used their 1 permitted stop and cannot reverse and attempt to advance.

By doing it the way the team in the example did it, the runners first stop and retreat does not count for purposes of the LBR because the retreat began before F1 had the ball. It was legal for the runner to do the 180 turn and attempt to advance because the stop/turn was the first one for LBR purposes.

This has the potential to catch the defense off guard because runners hardly ever reverse and attempt to advance once the retreat starts. If the runner had gotten a little bigger of an initial lead or the throw was slightly off, she makes 3rd.

As BU I need to be alert for this trick.

[DaveASA/FED]

Your right I had a girl steal home on this type of play. Started slowly walking back, giving the appearance of a standard play (lead off walk back to base) as she got within a step of 3rd she did the 180 and broke for the plate (F1 had ignored her and was playing with the ball looking the other way) she made it and I got to talk to the defensive coach and explain she has started to 3rd prior to F1 getting the ball, she had not touched 3rd yet so she still had her one stop and there was no hesitation to take home once she did stop so all was good run counted!!

But your right until you see it happen, and really think through what just happened it catches you off guard a little!

[DTQ_Blue]

Dave,

At least I had the luxury of not having to think it through under duress, i.e., if the girl had made 3rd safely, I might have had the D coach saying I had a LBR violation (before I could ruminate on it). As you said, it sure looks like a standard play at first.

Because this runner was put out there was no issue with the D coach, and I watched their next few baserunners for this team very closely and noticed that every one retreated to their base the exact same way. This has to be something that is coached for a purpose, and I for sure will be looking for it in the future.

[3afan]

good info .....

[scroobs]

Looks like NCAA has a different view on the LBR. I copied a few of the important rules. Dues anyone do any NCAA that can confirm that runners can't delay their stop, then go to next base like the above post?

• A runner in motion when the pitcher gets the ball in the circle, may keep going in the
same direction, but if she does continue, she cannot stop.
• A runner in motion when the pitcher gets the ball in the circle may immediately stop,
change directions, and go the other way, but cannot stop again.
• A runner who is stopped when the pitcher gets the ball in the circle, must immediately advance
or retreat without stopping again.

[SC Ump]

Originally Posted by scroobs

Looks like NCAA has a different view on the LBR.

I do not do NCAA, so cannot comment directly. I will say that this was my understanding of the lookback rule for the first dozen years I umpired... until they changed the wording of the LBR "for clarification" and, IMO, messed it up.