[David Emerling]

PLAY: With R3, batter hits a low, scorching line drive toward the 3rd base bag. F5, playing near and even with the bag, lunges forward to catch the ball; however, F5 is prevented from catching the ball as R3 is diving back toward the bag. The contact with R3 prevented F5 from catching the ball. The batted ball touches neither the runner nor fielder and hits the line beyond 3rd. Fair ball!

R3 did nothing intentional and was clearly just making an attempt to dive back to the bag as the batted ball, for all practical purposes, amounted to a "pick off" throw.

Considering that a runner who hinders a fielder making a play on a batted ball is to be called out, whether intentional or not, it seems "wrong" that this runner should be called out for interference. Any attempt by the runner to do anything but immediately return to the base would have certainly resulted in a double play.

Yet, I'm thinking that this runner probably should be called out for interference. The "impossible situation" was completely the making of the offense. But, would it be a double play based on the fact that the runner's interference prevented a certain double play?

Opinions?