[WhatWuzThatBlue]

"A few members insist on allowing this play to happen without penalty." Well, YEAH!

That would put you in a very select group of umpires who would allow interference to occur without penalty. I wouldn't brag about that. If it's interference, it comes witha penalty.

2-2 count, B takes ball 3 holding onto the bat. The B will not be tossing his bat back towards the on-deck circle in this sitch. F2 tries a pick off attempt at 3B and his throw is deflected by the bat. F2 is deemed to be CULPABLE for the contact, the run may or may not score easily, and B gets another pitch. The ball remains LIVE and IN PLAY the entire time.

Try to stick with the play that EVERYONE ELSE is discussing. The batter did not toss his bat backwards. I could draw you a picture, but you'd likely still be confused.

3-2 count, B?R takes ball 4 and quickly tosses the bat toward the on deck circle. F2 tries a pick off attempt and his throw (1 in a 1000) is deflected by the flying bat. Run CANNOT score because of some foolish interference RULE. B/R finds himself in the dugout wondering what the hell just happened.

Alright, you figured it out and stuck with the play!!! You even called it exactly as we said it should be called. I told you that those reading lessons would pay off. It's only foolish because you were shown to be wrong with regards to the application. What was the line you used? Oh yeah, "I don't get paid to like the rules, but if that is ONE rule I am suppose to enforce, then I'll do my best."

Your blabbin' about a RULE that hinges on pitch count and a catcher that RARELY (like 0 outta 100) hits a FLYING bat with a thrown baseball. How lucky could F2 get at such a pivotal moment? If I was the defensive coach, I would break out laughing and do a little dance in celebration for the momentum swing. I would certainly applaud the catcher.

No, I'm talking about basic interference by a batter. If it happened on any other count, educated umpires would have the same call. The batter is not allowed to interrupt the catcher's attempt to make a play on an advancing runner.

Who cares what odds are involved? Baseball games are filled with fluke plays that involve uncommon activities. F2 is not lucky in that play, the bater cheated and was caught. Your comment about laughing at dancing about getting a good break is ridiculous. It happens all of the time; maybe not on your tee ball field, but I see momentum swings all of the time. Coaches are allowed to laugh and celebrate good fortune. You did know that, didn't you?

Which is making a travesty of the GAME? Not only that, but say the batter hits a weak ground ball near the plate area and runs into the catcher on his way to first. NO interference, OBSTRUCTION. I think the WINDIES, BAMA BOYS, CASEWRITERS and UNION BOSS oughtta agree on the 1 logical choice; BALL IS LIVE and IN PLAY. I don't get paid to like the rules, but if that is ONE rule I am suppose to enforce, then I'll do my best.

Travesty of the game? Please find that illustration of this play in any pertinent umpire manual; hurry, before the others start laughing at you some more.

Keep changng the play and putting words in our mouths. The words that matter are all there in black and white - we wrote them long ago. You've been informed that you were wrong and you keep proving how little you actually know. Did you notice that you are standing alone? Keep enforcing those imaginary rules.