Quote:
Originally Posted by UES
Generally speaking, the fielder is protected when he is in the immediate act of fielding a batted ball (deflected or not). The fielder is NOT protected when he is "en route" to fielding the ball. Moreover, it looks like the B/R was almost past F3 so I don't think he would have been able to make a play anyways. Calling interference without any contact is pretty rare unless the runner goes out of his way to make it difficult for the fielder... which I don't think was the case here.
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Please, newbie readers ... recognize this for what it is.
The fielder is ABSOLUTELY protected "en-route" to fielding a ball.
As to why this was not INT in the OP? I can only feel that the umpire on the spot did not feel the fielder was impeded. In super slo mo replay, I'm not sure I agree with him ... but this one definitely could have gone either way without much complaint from me.