Interference at first base

[GarthB]

Originally posted by DownTownTonyBrown
Rusty check out the definition of a catch. If F3 was unable to hold onto the ball, he didn't make a catch.

Check out definition of interference. If the BR didn't intentionally get in the way of the throw or intentionally/maliciously cause contact with F3, there was no interference. This is just two people trying to be in the same spot at the same time - incidental contact.

Plate umpire had no business injecting his opinions into the base umpire's call.

Sounds like it was a poor play, somewhat out of control, by the defense. Batter-runner did nothing wrong. He only ran to his base.

To call the runner out after F3 dropped the ball is not right.

Maybe there is more to this than I have gathered but it sounds like a poor decision by the PU.

While I agree the plate ump probably made the wrong call I have to disagree with a couple of things, Tony,

First, it WAS his call to make. He was not interjecting his opinion into the BU call of safe/out. An interference/obstruction decision was a separate call on the same play and it was his to make.

Secondly, a "catch" of a thrown ball is different from the "catch" of a batted ball, particularly on a force play.