Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Hensley
Quote:
Originally posted by gordon30307
B1 bunts ball and F2 Fields ball in front of home plate. F2 realises he does not have a line of sight to first base and tries to lob the ball over B1 who is not in the running lane as he nears first base. F3 leaps but he can't catch the ball. Although F2 made errant throw B1 guilty of interference as per 8-4-1G.
Since the running lane is in foul territory the only way to tag first base is go out of the running lane as you approach it. Hopefully if the above happens BR is running in fair territory all the way to first base this would be a pretty easy call to explain. This could easily happen R1 on second base batter attempts a sacrifice bunt catcher fields the ball in front of the plate realizes his only play is at first BR is in the running lane as he approaches first he leaves the lane to tag first and the catcher lobs the ball over the BR before he reaches first and F3 can't make the play. As per rule 8-4-1g it would seem we would have to call BR out for interference even
though BR was doing what he was supposed to do.
What do you guys think? Fed Rules Only.
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For the very reason you mention - that 1B is in fair territory - both common sense and professional instruction command that umpires grant the batter runner the leeway to come into fair territory to touch 1B in his last step or two as he arrives at the base. In addition and again supported by professional instruction and not contradicted (to my knowledge) by any FED casebook play, the throw to F3 must be a "quality" throw, meaning it must be a throw that F3 could have otherwise, if not for the interference, received to complete the putout on the batter runner.
In your play you would have no interference because you did not have a quality throw. Now, if the throw had hit the batter runner as he approached 1B, you would then have to judge if he was out of the running lane when hit and NOT in the "grace area" of his last step or two before touching 1B. Then and only then would you have the runner out for lane interference.
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I agree and I would look for a quality throw but I was on the NFHS web site and situation 20 in their rules iterpretation seems to contradict this. If you get a chance check it out and let me know what you think.