Quote:
Originally Posted by mbyron
In order to call batter interference, there has to be some actual hindrance of the play. In this case, it doesn't sound as if there was any: F2 threw down to 1B just fine, and there was a close play there. So BI is the wrong call in the OP, if I'm reading it correctly.
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Well, I agree with you if it was normal Batter's interference (swinging and falling out of the box across home for instance), but if the batter does something INTENTIONAL, you most likely need to call this if it remotely affects the play. This would be like R1 going into second on a DP and waving his hands in the air, but F6 gets the throw off cleanly. We all agree this is interference because of the INTENTIONAL act. If the batter is doing something INTENTIONAL (like swinging purposely late to screw up the catcher's throw), I view that as interference. Benefit of the doubt is going to F2.
I've called this when the batter swings AFTER my ball/strike call (and I have SLOW timing). This is pretty obvious to me that he's trying to interfere.
Conversely, I've had a batter try this on a pitch that was wayyy outside in the other batter's box and the bat in no way came close to hindering him and I had nothing in that instance.