[Thom Coste]

Originally posted by Alan G
I'm not sure why it would matter that it was inadvertent. When a runner is hit by a batted ball, it need not be deliberate. The problem, as I see it, is that this is not a batted ball, so it's not a "fair ball" either, I guess.

I think this is NCAA also, but in OBR I might try to appeal to 6.06(c) which gets the batter for interfering with the catcher's fielding or throwing by stepping out of the batter's box. I think that rule is not intended for this situation, but rather for interference during steals. But the batter was out of the box, inadvertently kicked the ball, and in doing so interfered with the catcher's fielding. I'm calling dead ball, batter out. (At least I think that's better than the decision made on the field.)

On the other issue, if there is a base award, why isn't it two bases? If the ball had hit first base and bounced into the dugout, the defense would not have put it there. But the award would be two bases, right?

A few years back, I had a similar play. Ground ball in front of plate, pitcher throws to first, ball bounces off F3's glove landing behind the bag. BR, who passed first base, inadvertently kicks the ball down the right field foul line. Here, the BR did not try to advance, although he could have. (I didn't kill the play, but I think the runner thought HE had killed the play. ) At the time I wondered, "Suppose he had inadvertently kicked the ball into the dead ball area? Would I have to award him third?" I think the answer is "yes" but it would have been tough to sell that one.

Any thoughts on that question?

First of all, you have a thrown ball, not a batted ball, and the batter-runner did not intentionally kick the ball so the batter-runner is not out. Furthermore, the batter-runner did not interfere with the catcher's opportunity to field the thrown ball. The catcher already had his shot and he missed it. So the inadvertent kick by the batter-runner is incidental. Finally, this ball is considered to be thrown from the pitcher's plate: The award would be one base or two bases depending on what caused the ball to go out of play. In this play, the umpire decides the kick caused the ball to go out of play, the award is two bases. Jim Evans uses the terms "directly" out of play or "subsequently caused" to go out of play for the distinction.

Thom Coste
Member UT