- Feb 24, 2010
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We played in a "scrimmage" tournament today and this situation came up and I wasn't sure if the ruling was correct. ASA rules were being followed.
Runner at 3rd and batter walks on a blocked pitch so pitcher comes in to cover home with runner at 3rd about 10 feet down the line. Catcher throws back to pitcher in front of circle and then P enters circle, and batter approaches 1st and continues on to second, which is legal, but runner at 3rd is still off and does not move. Batter-runner continues to 2nd and still no play is made by P on either runner and runner at 3rd is still off the base by about 10 feet. I'm yelling that the runner at 3rd is out but ump would not have it.
The final outcome was that the P threw to 2nd, with batter-runner returning to first while runner at 3rd scored. Umps reasoning is that the runner at 3rd is not out because the LBR requires that the P actually "look at the runner, that's why it's called the LOOK BACK rule".
OH, and I did check the 2010 ASA rule book after the game and there is no mention of the P actually looking at the runner. It only mentions that if a play is made, even a fake, then the LBR is null.
So who is right - me or the ump?
Runner at 3rd and batter walks on a blocked pitch so pitcher comes in to cover home with runner at 3rd about 10 feet down the line. Catcher throws back to pitcher in front of circle and then P enters circle, and batter approaches 1st and continues on to second, which is legal, but runner at 3rd is still off and does not move. Batter-runner continues to 2nd and still no play is made by P on either runner and runner at 3rd is still off the base by about 10 feet. I'm yelling that the runner at 3rd is out but ump would not have it.
The final outcome was that the P threw to 2nd, with batter-runner returning to first while runner at 3rd scored. Umps reasoning is that the runner at 3rd is not out because the LBR requires that the P actually "look at the runner, that's why it's called the LOOK BACK rule".
OH, and I did check the 2010 ASA rule book after the game and there is no mention of the P actually looking at the runner. It only mentions that if a play is made, even a fake, then the LBR is null.
So who is right - me or the ump?