Umpiring Advanced Techniques Video

When a runner leaves early, call “time” after the play has completed and return all runners back to their original bases.

- Runners are not allowed to leave their base before a pitched ball “reaches the batter”.  In most cases, this translates to when the ball reaches home plate.  This rule applies in Little League Baseball Minors through Majors.  The wording of “reaching the batter”, is intended to account for a batter that stands up or back in the batter’s box. 

-  The penalty for leaving early is that the offending runner, and any other runners, must return to their original bases.

-  When you spot a runner that left early, wait for the play to completely finish.  If for example, the runner who left early is put out on the play, the play stands and no reference is made to the runner having left early.  If no out is made, then call for time and send all runners back to their original bases.

-  The runner leaving early ruling becomes trickier when a batter reaches a base safely on a hit.  You cannot disqualify a hit (or walk) by the batter when a runner leaves early on the same play.  Furthermore, you can only enforce the rule when there is an open base that allows you to place the runner.  When there are multiple runners, return as many of the runners to their original base as possible.

-  Baseball differs from softball as to the rule and penalty.

-  In the video, the play started with runners on 2B and 1B with one of them having left early on a pitch.  Since there was no advance by the batter, both runners were returned to their original bases.

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