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Originally Posted by UmpJM (nee CoachJM)
If no one on the defense has possession of the ball and there is not a throw on the way from one member of the defense to another, there is no play. So, if the batter picks up a ball that is lying on the ground, there cannot be a play.
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So if a runner (in any situation, not just this one) is in a disadvantageous position, and the ball gets away and falls to the ground, good offensive strategy might be for the batter or a coach to race to pick it up before the fielder does, no play and all is forgiven?
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J/R refers to it as "interference without a play". Call time, return runners, let the batter know he really shouldn't ought to do that, and get things going again.
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Maybe I'm just not being clear. I'm trying to set this up as if the play was on-going. Runners could still be trying to advance. The ball could still be rolling. Whatever I'm trying to ask about, it's not supposed to imply that the ball has been lying on the ground for the last thirty seconds and the base runner has stooped over to tie his shoes while he standing on the base so the batter decides to grab the ball.
If it still doesn't make sense, then I'm going to quit while I'm ahead (or maybe it's behind). This puts me at three posts today already, way over my usual once a quarter pace.