.....I've got to humble disagree with you on this one. I have R1 safe at 3rd.
Why, because according to:
"J/R - Part III #13 Offensive Interference, Section IV:
[It is interference if a coach]
(3) physically assists a runner's advance or return to a base.
Penalty: such runner is out but the ball remains live. 7.09i
* OBR 7.09(i) In the judgement of the umpire, the base coach at third base, or first base, by touching or holding the runner, physically assists him in returning to or leaving third base or first base.
Both sections seem clear in the aspect of:
physically assists a runner's advance, returning or leaving.
This coach it seems just stupidly stood on the tracks
waving his lantern at a fast moving train..... :-}
I will go so far as to say, this is one you'd have to see to make a final decision on!
Quote:
Originally posted by Jim Porter
Max,
I know it doesn't seem like he assisted the runner, but he did.
Look at the elements involved - - the coach moved down the line, into the runner's projected path, to stop his player from advancing home. Did he physically assist the runner to achieve this goal? Did he physically keep the runner from advancing to home?
Sure he did. And he did it by moving down the line and into the runner's projected path. The coach wanted his runner to stop at third. By getting in the way, he physically assisted the runner. He kept the runner from being thrown out at home, and he got him to return to third safely.
One thing that this case play from Jim Evans taught me is that there's more than one way for a base coach to physically assist a runner. A coach doesn't necessarily have to reach out and grab or push a runner for him to be guilty of physically assisting him.
It is not only the actions of the coach that we should consider with coach's interference. It is the coach's actions coupled with the results of the coach's actions on the runner, and the results of both of these on the play.
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[Edited by Rog on Mar 2nd, 2001 at 11:54 PM]