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-   -   Offensive interference or nothing? (https://forum.officiating.com/baseball/102736-offensive-interference-nothing.html)

Robert E. Harrison Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:50am

Offensive interference or nothing?
 
OBR, R1, batters hits grounder towards F4. As F4 is charging, the ball stops in the tall grass and F4 stops in the path of R1 and a collision occurs. The ball is 5 yards in front of F4 as R1 crashes into F4. Is this offensive interference or did F4 give up and is F4 not protected on this play?

Matt Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:52am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison (Post 1006746)
Is this offensive interference or did F4 give up and is F4 not protected on this play?

Yes.

Rich Ives Fri Jun 09, 2017 01:35pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison (Post 1006746)
OBR, R1, batters hits grounder towards F4. As F4 is charging, the ball stops in the tall grass and F4 stops in the path of R1 and a collision occurs. The ball is 5 yards in front of F4 as R1 crashes into F4. Is this offensive interference or did F4 give up and is F4 not protected on this play?

I vote B.
.
.
.
Which makes it obstruction

MT 73 Fri Jun 09, 2017 07:25pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison (Post 1006746)
OBR, R1, batters hits grounder towards F4. As F4 is charging, the ball stops in the tall grass and F4 stops in the path of R1 and a collision occurs. The ball is 5 yards in front of F4 as R1 crashes into F4. Is this offensive interference or did F4 give up and is F4 not protected on this play?

Why did F4 stop?

Rich Ives Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:52pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by MT 73 (Post 1006762)
Why did F4 stop?

Per the OP the ball stopped in the tall grass. The only reasonable conclusion is that F4 then gave up on it. Now not making a play on it - now not protected - now obstruction.

Matt Fri Jun 09, 2017 11:56pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Ives (Post 1006767)
Per the OP the ball stopped in the tall grass. The only reasonable conclusion is that F4 then gave up on it. Now not making a play on it - now not protected - now obstruction.

I disagree that is the only reasonable conclusion. He may have stopped to avoid a collision with R1.

MT 73 Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:07am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt (Post 1006768)
I disagree that is the only reasonable conclusion. He may have stopped to avoid a collision with R1.

That is still obstruction.

Rich Ives Sat Jun 10, 2017 09:01am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt (Post 1006768)
I disagree that is the only reasonable conclusion. He may have stopped to avoid a collision with R1.

He was a significant distance from an unmoving ball. There was no play being made on the ball by then.

Matt Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:42am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Ives (Post 1006775)
He was a significant distance from an unmoving ball. There was no play being made on the ball by then.

Disagree. He can still be the protected fielder.

bob jenkins Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:31pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert E. Harrison (Post 1006746)
OBR, R1, batters hits grounder towards F4. As F4 is charging, the ball stops in the tall grass and F4 stops in the path of R1 and a collision occurs. The ball is 5 yards in front of F4 as R1 crashes into F4. Is this offensive interference or did F4 give up and is F4 not protected on this play?

Could be either, depending on whether the umpire judges the fielder to be protected and in the act of fielding. Here's how J/R defines it, and whil I agree it's correct, I'm not sure it's complete:

(a) A fielder is "trying to field" (or "in the act of fielding") a ball when
(i) he is positioning himself for the purpose of trying to glove
a rapidly approaching ball, or
(ii) he is actually gloving the ball, or has gloved the ball and,
without having to take steps, is trying to gain possession of
the ball, or
(iii) he is actually throwing the ball, or completing his throwing
motion after throwing the ball ("following through").


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