coach's interference

[NavyCoach]

There is an over throw at 3rd base. The coach moves to get out of the way. The runner heads for home. The 3rd baseman picks up the ball and starts to throw it home. The coach had moved to get out of the way of the loose ball, but is now in the way of the throw. The 3rd baseman bumps the ball twice and them moves to his left 2 steps and throws home. The runner was called safe. Is this coach's interference or does the player need to throw and hit the coach to make it interernce?

[Dave Hensley]

If the umpire judges that the coach did everything he could have and/or should have done to avoid interfering, then there is no interference, regardless of whether there is contact with the fielder or the ball.

[NavyCoach]

So the runner should be out, because the coach got out of the way for the overthrow, but did not mack and effort to get out of the way for the throw home?

[GarthB]

Originally posted by NavyCoach
So the runner should be out, because the coach got out of the way for the overthrow, but did not mack and effort to get out of the way for the throw home?

Read Dave's response again.

[w_sohl]

Originally posted by NavyCoach
So the runner should be out, because the coach got out of the way for the overthrow, but did not mack and effort to get out of the way for the throw home?

Sounds to me like the coach made an effort to not be in the way, sorry D, thems the breaks.

[mbyron]

Dave's right: you can't give an out for interference here, or you'd have players gunning for coaches all the time...

[PeteBooth]

Originally posted by NavyCoach

There is an over throw at 3rd base. The coach moves to get out of the way. The runner heads for home. The 3rd baseman picks up the ball and starts to throw it home. The coach had moved to get out of the way of the loose ball, but is now in the way of the throw. The 3rd baseman bumps the ball twice and them moves to his left 2 steps and throws home. The runner was called safe. Is this coach's interference or does the player need to throw and hit the coach to make it interernce?

Here's a rule of thumb on interference.

Batted ball - NO Intent needed meaning ground ball to F6 who is the protected fielder and R2 collides. Even though R2 didn't mean to the fact is he/she did and the call is

1. Time
2. That's interference
3. R2 is out

On at thrown ball we now need intent

Why!

If intent wasn't needed on thrown balls, then fielders would play "dodge ball" with either runners or in this case base coaches. If they did not have "a prayer" of getting the runner they would simply throw the ball aimed at hitting either the coach or the runner to get an easy out.

Remember, generally speaking the rules do not reward the team that erred. In this case we had an errant throw and as long as the coach is doing his/her best to get out of the way, then play on.

Pete Booth

[largeone59]

Interesting twist to this stitch....


I was working a 16U game the other day. First base coach is sort of crippled and has to walk with a cane and doesn't move swift at all.

Wouldn't you know, there was a pop up in first base foul territory and the fielder had to dodge the coach to get to the ball, which he couldn't get to.

Good thing the Defensive Coach didn't complain since i was not going to call coach's interference on that first base coach under any circumstances. Even if the coach tried to move, it would have been too slow and wouldn't have made a difference.

[radwaste50]

Originally posted by mbyron
Dave's right: you can't give an out for interference here, or you'd have players gunning for coaches all the time...

That could make the game more interesting
there is a few coaches I'd like to see gunned