[umpjim]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

The announcer is incorrect. Catcher's Interference is the proper term for anything other than NFHS rules (obstruction only involves a fielder impeding a runner attempting to reach a base), and it is a delayed dead ball (umpires wait to see what happened, and then award bases based on what occurred). Unlike balks, where the outcome is automatic (either every runner, including the batter-runner, advances safely at least one base as permitted by rule, or the balk penalty is enforced (the pitch, if any, does not count, and all runners advance one base), there is an option for the manager to either enforce the catcher's interference penalty (the batter is awarded 1st base, runners advance 1 base if forced, and any runners who are stealing are awarded the base that they were trying to steal) or accept the result of the play. There is a special case with a runner trying to score from 3rd that is both catcher's interference and a balk (catcher [or another fielder] steps in front of home plate without the ball, or touches the batter, including his bat), and is enforced as both (the ball is dead immediately, the runner from 3rd is awarded home plate,the batter is awarded 1st base, and all other runners advance as if it was a balk).

The announcer probably was clueless but he also might have seen Layne kill it almost right away with a live ball.