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Old Thu Mar 27, 2003, 06:23pm
Dakota Dakota is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Twin Cities MN
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The fielder has an absolute right to try to field the ball.

The runner has an obligation to not interfere.

Quote:
As she is coming in, right about where the baseline is from 2nd to 3rd, the short stop cuts off the running lane causing the runner and herself to dance alittle. A play could have been made to throw out the batter runner at first.
The fielder is not at fault for "cutting off the running lane" or for "causing the runner ... to dance a little." Why? Because attempting to field a batted ball gives the fielder the right to impede the runner (ASA 1-OBSTRUCTION-B-2). The runner is most likely guilty of interference, because she does not have the right to the running lane when a fielder is attempting to field a ball there (ASA 8-8-J-1). It was the runner who was in the wrong place, not the fielder. The runner had no right to be charging into the area where the fielder was attempting to field the batted ball.

It doesn't matter if the ball was through if the fielder muffed the play because she held up to avoid a collision; the runner interfered by causing the fielder to hold up or to take her eyes off the ball, or ...
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