Quote:
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Originally Posted by phillips.alex
Fed 7-3-5: Batter Interference
Penalty:
When there are two outs, the batter is out. When there are not two outs and the runner is advancing to home, the runner is out. When there are not two outs and the runner is advancing to second or third, the batter is out, and runners are sent back to the base they were on at time of pitch.
Question: Why do we call out the runner going home and not the runner going to second or third (less than two outs)? I am simply looking for the intent of the ruling.
Any help is appreciated.
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The intent of the rule is as follows:
The offense is putting on a play with R3. B1 either misses the sign or fails to excecute the suiside squeeze. B1 realizes R3 is now a "dead duck" at the plate so he stays in the box and prevents F2 from making a play on him/her.
The rule-makers felt that a more severe penalty should be enforced when we have R3 less than 2 outs.
Another possible reason is that in most instances, the offense puts on a play with a weak hitter at the plate. In other words with 1 out and Jeter on third I doubt whether or not Joe Torre would put on a play with AROD at the plate.
A better scenario is in the nat'l league where they do not have the DH and F1 is at the plate with R3 less than 2 outs. The rule-makers felt that with R3 keeping the weak hitter at the plate plus calling out R3 is a severe penalty if B1 interferes.
IMO, good logic on the part of the rule-makers.
Pete Booth