- Jun 22, 2008
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The problems occur when the umpire see it different than the base runners (and or coaches). Since the umpires have the final say we end up parsing the LBR rule trying to determine everyone's intent.
The problem with MTR's solution is lazy umpires that will kill the play too soon. While this could be the perfect solution I don't have a lot of faith in the majority of umpires to get this right.
Yet umpires do it thousands of times a day in the SP game with no, zip, zero, nil arguments and the games are over in usually an hour or less, many going a full seven innings with that many more hits and runs. It really isn't that difficult and the umpire would use the same mechanic s/he would in enforcing the LBR. Check that a fielder (not necessarily th pitcher) has possession of the ball in the infield area, check the runner and if all obvious play is done, you kill the ball and everyone moves to set for the next pitch. It is not even nearly as difficult or carries the effect on the game that many here fears. The only people who would have a problem would be those who think they are Earl Weaver/Billy Martin/Tommy LaSorda and want to play the cat and mouse game which was the target of the enactment of LBR.
There is no argument that some umpires are lazy, but isn't that the same argument often used for the umpires not enforcing the LBR? I believe the larger issue would be an adjustment period for the umpire to remember to call time.
If it does slow the game down at all, it's more at the younger rec levels where the players are more inexperienced at both base running and the defense making plays on the base runners. In travel ball the past two years in 12u and 14u I can't remember a single circle violation or a coach arguing if their should have been one. The games move pretty quickly with regards to the LBR and base running, leadoffs, pickoff plays, steals. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
It wasn't broken before yet the rule came into existence. IMO, it isn't a matter of fixing something, but of bringing the game back into focus of playing it instead of playing with it.