look back rule

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Jun 25, 2016
1
0
I was working a one man game.
Runner on second (R1).
With the pitch R1 takes an aggressive lead, a call ball one is made, the catcher returns the ball to the pitcher. The pitcher starts to return to back of the pitching plate seeing R1 slowly returning to the base she continues to the back of the circle maintaining eye contact with the runner. The pitcher has the ball at her side the entire time. Then R1 stops a foot short of the the base. The pitcher responds with a fake throw, R1 returns to second base. I made a no call because in my judgment the pitcher was engaged with the R1 when she walked to the back of the circle.

Should R1 have been rule out when she stopped one foot short of the bag. Only at this point the pitcher faked a throw.

Thanks
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
That depends, did runner only starts to return after the pitcher received the ball or had they already started to return before the pitcher had the ball? If they were stopped and moved after the pitcher got the ball, they have made their choice and cannot stop unless the pitcher makes a play. If they were moving when pitcher got ball they are still entitled to a stop and/or reversal of direction.

The pitcher just looking at the runner is not making a play. Until they make some motion to throw the ball or some other action to incite a reaction from the runner the runner is bound by the look back rule.
 
Sep 14, 2014
56
6
We had a similar situation this weekend. Our pitcher caught the ball from the catcher and turned to look at the runner on first who was walking back to first. The pitcher did not raise the ball to make a play. When the runner saw the pitcher looking at her, she stopped short of the first base bag, turned toward the pitcher, stared back and clapped 5 or 6 times. With this my dugout erupted that she was out and the plate umpire called her out. The UIC happened to be watching the game, stopped the game, and proceeded to try to convince the plate umpire that there was no look back rule violation. The call was not changed. Who was correct?
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
As I stated earlier, some of the call would depend on when the runner began to return to first, but either way there was still a look back violation if the pitcher never made a play. If before the pitcher got the ball in the circle, the runner may stop but then must immediately either continue to first or head for second unless the pitcher attempts a play. If the runner had already been returning before the pitcher had the ball she was fine to have stopped, but once she just stood there and began clapping she was in violation.

If she had started to return after the pitcher got the ball, she was in violation the instant she stopped before reaching the base. As I already stated, the pitcher just looking at the runner is not making a play. As for the UIC, not only were they incorrect to have inserted themselves into the game without a protest being lodged, they were also wrong in stating it was not a look back violation.
 
Nov 25, 2012
1,437
83
USA
As I stated earlier, some of the call would depend on when the runner began to return to first, but either way there was still a look back violation if the pitcher never made a play. If before the pitcher got the ball in the circle, the runner may stop but then must immediately either continue to first or head for second unless the pitcher attempts a play. If the runner had already been returning before the pitcher had the ball she was fine to have stopped, but once she just stood there and began clapping she was in violation.

If she had started to return after the pitcher got the ball, she was in violation the instant she stopped before reaching the base. As I already stated, the pitcher just looking at the runner is not making a play. As for the UIC, not only were they incorrect to have inserted themselves into the game without a protest being lodged, they were also wrong in stating it was not a look back violation.

Comp is right on it. Exactly as he stated above^^^
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
In smachdad's post he said she stopped and clapped 5 or 6 times. Even if she hadn't stopped previous, doesn't this become lookback because she didn't pick a direction immediately?
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
I addressed that in my post. Either way it would have been a look back violation if the pitcher never made a play. It's just a matter of exactly when it became a violation.
 
Mar 29, 2015
61
18
I just want to extend a complement to sandbagger for asking the question. I'm glad to see an umpire who wants to make sure his calls are correct and isn't afraid to ask if he did it wrong.
 
Jun 28, 2016
34
6
NJ
The pitcher just looking at the runner is not making a play.

This might be a stupid question, OK, it is a stupid question, but does the pitcher literally have to look at the baserunner for the look back rule to take effect? Or is it just merely the pitcher having the ball in the circle?

Obviously it's ideal to have your pitcher look at the runners, but if she just takes the ball and has her head down, and the runners are off the bases, can they do whatever they want -- stop or run back and forth -- until she looks up? Or as soon as she has the ball in her hand and she's in the circle, they have to pick a base and go to it?
 

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