Look back rule..(again:)

[lvtwft]

I am curious how people interpret the look back rule (yes again).
What is you take on it?
Umps had a 5-8 min meeting on this one, in the middle of the field this last weekend.
Runner on 1, batter bunted the ball to 3rd. 3rd base fielded the ball and stop runner on 3rd from going home. She then threw the ball back to the pitcher whom was in the circle. Hitter never stopped running and rounded 2nd half way to 3rd (Pitcher never moved and stood in the circle) stopped and went straight back to second.
What is the call there??

[shil]

Batter-runner is safe. After passing a base, batter-runner can stop once, must then return to last base or continue to next.

[MTR]

I am curious how people interpret the look back rule (yes again).
What is you take on it?
Umps had a 5-8 min meeting on this one, in the middle of the field this last weekend.
Runner on 1, batter bunted the ball to 3rd. 3rd base fielded the ball and stop runner on 3rd from going home. She then threw the ball back to the pitcher whom was in the circle. Hitter never stopped running and rounded 2nd half way to 3rd (Pitcher never moved and stood in the circle) stopped and went straight back to second.
What is the call there??

There is no call unless the runner on 3B failed to return and remain in contact with the base once the ball was in the circle and the BR reached 1B.

[Bretman]

Wow. Five minutes is about four minutes and fifty seconds too long to be standing around on that one!

As described, there isn't anything to call here. From your description, it sounds like all runners adhered to all requirements of the Look Back Rule. You would have nothing more than runners safely at first and third base.

Do you by chance know what point of the rule the overly-long conversation was about? Did the umpires huddle up on their own, or was it at the request of a coach who thought they had it wrong? What was the initial call right when the play happened, before the freakin' Geneva Convention convened? Did neither umpire initially make any call, or did they both make opposite calls, or did one jump in and overrule the other?

And, most importantly...did they eventually get it right?

[Coach11]

Going solely on the description of the play, I don't think the conversation had anything to do with the look back rule.
The extended conversation was probably about how in the world the "runner on 1" got to 3rd base????

[GIMNEPIWO]

Going solely on the description of the play, I don't think the conversation had anything to do with the look back rule.
The extended conversation was probably about how in the world the "runner on 1" got to 3rd base????

My thoughts zackly ... ... Either that, or the conversation started something like " Did you see where that 'runner on 1' went to ? "

[MTR]

Going solely on the description of the play, I don't think the conversation had anything to do with the look back rule.
The extended conversation was probably about how in the world the "runner on 1" got to 3rd base????

HA! Very good. Shows to go you how our minds don't always register everything, just the most recent of the words seen by the eyes!

[lvtwft]

I think they were shocked she was all the way over toward third. At first they BU got it worng, but asked by himself for assitance from PU. Then they made the right call.
I am not to sure what was going on in the hudle, but there was a very good looking mother sitting down right field line and they were facing that way during their conversation.

I have always wondered one more thing on the look back rule, I have run into this in the past.
If a runner stops in the middle of the baseline and does not go back to a base right away or has a back and forth movement, when the pitcher is in the circle with the ball, the pitcher then attempts to make a play on her by raising her arm.

Per the rule (if I get this right) she should be out since she did not go directly back to the bag with the pitcher in the circle with the ball and has not made an attempt on the runner at that point.
I have run into a few umps that say she made an attempt on the runner so the runner did not violate the look back rule.
Am I understanding the rule correctly here? Or is the ump not paying close enough attention?
Thanks for the feedback.

[Bretman]

LV,

It sounds like you have a good grasp on the rule itself. There is a certain element of timing involved in your example. What the umpire really needs to figure out is, "Which came first- the prolonged stop/back and forth by the runner or the play/fake throw by the pitcher?".

If the runner stopped longer that "momentarily" or went back and forth BEFORE the pitcher made her play, then the runner has violated the requirements of the Look Back Rule and should be called out. The ball is immediately dead on the violation. If the pitcher makes her play AFTER that point, it is irrelevant. The runner is already out.

If, on the other hand, the pitcher makes her play BEFORE the runner stops/dances around, then the LBR is (at least for the moment) suspended and the runner's motions are legal. The runner can stop and stand still, reverse direction more than once, dance around, etc. without penalty.

Once the pitcher ceases to be making a play, and still has the ball in the circle, the LBR will be go back into effect. Generally, at this point the umpire should give the runner enough time to recognize that a play is no longer being made and let her react accordingly before committing to advancing/retreating directly to a base.

Make sense?

[PDad]

If a runner stops in the middle of the baseline and does not go back to a base right away or has a back and forth movement, when the pitcher is in the circle with the ball, the pitcher then attempts to make a play on her by raising her arm.

It depends on whether or not the runner was reacting to something the pitcher did (i.e. prior to raising her arm).

ASA Rules Supplement 34
J. While in the circle and in possession of the ball, any act by the pitcher that, in the umpire's judgement, causes the runner to react is considered making a play.