You make the call

[youngump]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

How do you find a distinction here? Once she stops on a base, the two rules combine to mean she cannot lose contact while the ball is live and the ball is in the circle until the pitch leaves the pitcher's hand.
@youngump, you're looking for a distinction that doesn't really exist to justify not wanting to appear nitpicky.

You can certainly read it that way. It's not more natural then reading it the way I suggest, it's just the way you are used to.
Consider a couple of points. First, in your reading, the lookback rule makes it completely unnecessary to have a rule that says you have to maintain contact until the pitch. (Since in your case the runner would always be out under the lookback rule.) Second, the rule requiring the runner to maintain contact is clearly meant as a restriction during the pitch. It says until the ball leaves the pitchers hand. In some sanctions, the pitcher can put the ball between her legs to fix her hair and still have control, and in all sanctions she has control when it's in her glove. Further, the look back rule is off when the pitcher fakes a play. You certainly couldn't get that result from the pitching rule. (The lookback rule is off, so she can leave the base, but she has to maintain contact unless the pitcher throws the ball?)
If you want to read leave and maintain contact as the same thing, I have less problem with that but it seems evident that 8-6-18 and 8-7 do not apply to the same time period. (Though the last part of the exception in the ASA rule to the lookback rule applies to a pitch being released, which cuts against what I'm saying.)

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

There are more common sense ways of dealing with the "it's too nitpicky to call outs" in some of these situations, without attempting to state it isn't the rule, or you don't judge it violates the intent of the rule. Shifting feet on the base; sorry, coach, I didn't see that happen, I was watching the pitcher, and the ball status, and ......, and I will be more vigilant in watching all runners (including yours should not be verbalized). Standing next to the base without touching it without anything happening, or a runner wanting to clear cleat or slide tracks; coach, I granted time, I just didn't make it a huge presentation that would make me the center of attention. You mention to base coaches that it IS a violation if you see it and the ball is live, and that you would hate to have to make that call, BUT I will if your runners can't maintain contact with the base.

Is this an invitation to lie to the coach? Or are you saying, work very hard not to see it so you can tell the coach you didn't?