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Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)
mbyron,
But, you've already made your call before knowing whether or not the defense "makes the play", no?
JM
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Running lane interference is an immediate dead ball, but I have to judge that there is interference before I call it. If the throw from F2 hits the BR and then is caught/gloved by F3 for the out, then I will not call interference (because there was none).
I might say "that's nothing!" after the play to show that I saw that the runner was out of the lane and hit by the ball, but that's about it.
I don't think that there would be much time lag in this particular play (which is a TWP, btw) between the thrown ball touching the BR and the fielder making the play.
Here's a different scenario: BR running out of lane, throw hits him, and the ball rolls on the ground toward F3, who has to come off the base to pick it up. This one I'll kill, and not wait to see whether F3 can make the play.
The difference is that in the first play, F3 is catching F2's (deflected) throw, so no interference; in the second, F3 has to do something more than simply receive the throw, so interference. In the second play only, BR has disrupted the pattern of play by being out of the running lane.