Pitch in circle, raises throwing hand with ball, LBR?

[MD Longhorn]

But we have an answer in the rulebook, and you quoted it. Anything that the UMPIRE judges is a play ... is a play.

To say that EVERY time the pitcher raises her arm in the air, it's a play - would be false. To say that it's NEVER a play would also be false. I've seen pitchers turn toward a runner and put an arm in the air where I'd call it nothing - she's got to do something to "make a play". Standing there with your arm in the air is nothing. However if the moment she raises her arm causes a reaction by the runner - I'm pretty likely to call that a play ... because the runner thought it was a play.

That said, any motion along with that arm raise (such as a step forward, or even just quickly raising the arm), I'm giving the benefit of doubt to the runner and letting them react.

Mike - I've been gone a while. I too think the rule can be done away with ... but what do you propose replaces it? Simply requiring the runner to be back before the pitcher pitches? Or something else?