Quote:
Originally Posted by bigda65
RH batter (his dugout on the same side).
Batter swings and misses on third strike. Catcher misses, and the ball ends up in the lefthand batters box @ corner where foul line meets.
The batter takes a step toward his dugout, then turns and runs and contact is made with catcher.
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I disagree that this play is the same as the Frisk/Armbruster play because neither Frisk nor Armbruster hesitated in what they were doing. Each moved immediately in the direction that they were supposed to go and this is why the ruling was made as it was.
There was another play similar about a year or so later in which the batter hesitated, then proceeded and made contact with F2. That was ruled as interference on the batter. Wish I could remember the players and umpire (all MLB).
In this stich, the batter hesitated and even took a step toward his dugout (which is behind him). Therefore, because of this hesitation, I would rule the batter interfered.