When TIME on coach interference

[David Emerling]

Originally posted by mikebran
Play: R1, R2, no out. Batter singles sharply through infield. 3rd base coach sending hard running R2 around 3rd. Past 3rd, runner stumbles, falls, and as he is getting up, coach assists him to his feet and runner continues.

Obviously: That is interference and that runner (R2) will be out.

Question: Do you call "That's Inteference! TIME!" Stop action, call the out, and put the rest of the runners in their proper place. (Obviously, BR on 1st and R1 on 2nd).

or: Would you let all action finish? For example that OF throw was cut off and BR is tagged going into 2nd, giving you 2 outs on the play?

This rule is addressed in Rick Roder's More Than 100 Problems with the Official Baseball Rules under the chapter entitled "Inaccurate Rules."

The rule states:

OBR 7.09(i) - It is interference by a batter or a runner when, in the judgment of the umpire, the base coach at third base, or first base, by touching or holding the runner, physically assists him in returning to or leaving third base or first base.

This is interference.

Under the definition of interference (section 2), OBR says, On any interference the ball is dead.

Exceptions are "batter's interference" with a runner stealing and "catcher's interference." But those exceptions are specifically addressed in the rule. So those rules are accurate. Such is not the case with 7.09(i).

There is no mention of an exception with regards to a coach assisting a runner.

So, by a strict reading of the rule book, one would logically come to the conclusion that this would cause a dead ball.

Rick Roder says no.

He says, "Interference by a coach for physically assisting a runner (7.09i) is grouped in a list of interferences that require a dead ball. However, by making the ball dead, the umpire risks disallowing other outs the defense might gain independent of the actions of offensive team personnel."

The PBUC and MLB interpretation: The ball remains live.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN


[Edited by David Emerling on Feb 11th, 2005 at 07:31 PM]