I've got a question. How close was F5 to 3rd base?
I poses a sitch to a different group (you might remember, Garth) I witnessed a couple of years ago in which a fielder was attempting to field a batted ball within a couple of feet of the bag directly in the baepath. The runner (forced in the case I witnessed) executed a legal slide into the base, upending the fielder and plainly preventing his fielding of the batted ball. (The runner had left on the pitch, thereby allowing him to arive at the same time as the batted ball.)
There was agreement in the other group that the actions of the runner were not interference, as his only options were to execute the slide, or give himself up.
Admittedly, this is a very rare case. I've only seen it once in my lifetime.
Roger Greene
|