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Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA
ASA 8.7 The Runner Is Out
0. When a coach intentionally interferes with a batted or thrown ball, or interferes with the defensive team's opportunity to make a play on another runner. A batted or thrown ball that unintentionally hits a base coach is not considered interference.
EFFECT. The ball is dead. The runner closest to home is out. Runners not out must return to the last base legally touched at the time of the interference.
NOTE: A batted or thrown ball that unintentionally hits a base coach is not considered interference.
The rule states it TWICE! If the contact is not intentional, it is not interference. It does NOT even require the coach to be in or out of the box at the time of contact. The coach's job is to direct the runners. That does not necessarily require him/her to be watching the ball, but more often the runners.
I would NEVER consider ruling coach's interference just because a coach didn't make an effort to move out of the was unless I was sure the coach was 100% cognizant that the ball was going to hit him/her and braced for the impact (and I'm not talking about a coach that just happens to catch the ball out of the corner of their eye and covers up).
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I think we are on the same page mike .. I was thinking of a specific instance (because most coaches are good about this) in Mens FP when a 3B coach was blatantly interfering by standing there with his arms crossed when he knew and was more than aware he was interferring with a player and I called it.