This is what the crew used to make the decision. It is posted on FOX SPORTS
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Umpires called Yankees star Alex Rodriguez out for interference after he swatted Boston pitcher Bronson Arroyo's glove while running out a grounder in Game 6 of the AL championship series. From the Official Baseball Rules:
Rule 2.00.
Interference:
(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at-bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If the umpire declares the batter, batter runner, or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that was in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless otherwise provided by these rules. In the event the batter runner has not reached first base, all runners shall return to the base last occupied at the time of the pitch.
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From the MLB Umpire Manual, a casebook that guides their decisions:
Section 6.1 (Offensive Interference):
While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act such as grabbing, tackling, intentionally slapping at the baseball, punching, kicking, flagrantly using his arms or forearms, etc. to commit an intentional act of interference unrelated to running the bases.
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Now if A-Rod just let himself be tagged Jeter would have been in scoring position. Furtheremore, Boston's F3 was in the running lane getting into the play without the ball. Again if the illustrious A-Rod would have allowed himself to be tagged, Torre may have been able to get an obstruction call - and it would have been Type "A"!
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