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Originally Posted by BigUmp56
Sal,
The play you've cited deals with transferred protection on a deflected ball. I think Roder does a good job of explaining when a fielder loses his protection and whether or not another fielder can have that protection transferred.
Runner is out for interference when:
Such runner hinders a privileged (protected)fielder during a fair or catchable batted ball. There are two instances where contact between a runner and privileged fielder can be incidental. For these exceptions, see below.
A fielder is privileged if he is trying to field a batted ball, and he is given priority to field it, and he is not chasing a deflected or missed fielding try. These concepts are defined as follows:
A fielder is "trying to field (or "in the act of fielding”) a ball when:
a. He is positioning himself for the purpose of trying to glove a rapidly approaching ball, or
b. He is actually gloving the ball, or has gloved the ball and, without having to take steps, is trying to gain possession of the ball, or
c. He is actually throwing the ball, or completing his throwing motion after throwing the ball ("following through").
NOTE: "Trying to field" does not include a fielder's attempt to tag, nor the actual flight of the thrown ball. These are treated in relationship to interference under "Thrown Ball." A fielder's "try to field” ends immediately upon missing or deflecting a batted ball.
If, at a given time, two or more fielders are expecting to field a batted ball, the one who is in a better position to field it (or, who is nearer the ball) is given priority over the other fielders. Only one fielder can have priority at a given time, but priority can be immediately taken from one fielder and given to another. On fly balls, it is usually not practical or necessary to give any fielder priority until the fly has reached its highest point.
A fielder cannot be privileged if he is chasing a batted ball that has been deflected or missed. If, however, he is trying to field a ball that has been deflected by another fielder, he can be privileged.
Your play from the MLBUM is interference because another fielder had a play on the ball after the deflection. In our play there is no chance for another fielder to make a play after the deflection. Since the pitcher has lost his protection, there cannot be interference on the play.
Tim.
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Tim,
Excellent post with great references. I think, however, we need to understand the INTENT or ORIGIN of the MLBUM approved ruling. Personally, I believe the A.R. was put into place to
emphasize that just because a batted ground ball is deflected, the protection of the defense's ability to further make that play is
NOT nullified . Anytime a defensive player is in the act of fielding a batted ground ball, he will be protected against any collision initiated by a runner REGARLESS if the ball was deflected or not. The only time a defensive player is not protected is if the collision occures while he is chasing or in route to a deflected or misplayed ball. The video clearly shows that the collision occurred after the chase and not
DURING the chase). The whole "transfer of protection" is added to soley to illustrate that
ANY fielder that is in the act of fielding the ball
regardless if it was deflected, who deflected it and where & who it is deflected to, is still protected as long as he is in the act of fielding the ball.