Catcher's Interference or Obstruction?

[illiniwek8]

Not sure if it is interference or obstruction but batter swings and hits ball to shortstop.....bat slightly touched by catcher's mitt....enough that only myself, the catcher, and the batter(i thought) would know. I don't call anything....should have.....ooops....is it a dead ball, delayed dead ball? Is it obstruction or interference? Thanx

Federation Rules (high school game)

[thumpferee]

Originally Posted by illiniwek8

Not sure if it is interference or obstruction but batter swings and hits ball to shortstop.....bat slightly touched by catcher's mitt....enough that only myself, the catcher, and the batter(i thought) would know. I don't call anything....should have.....ooops....is it a dead ball, delayed dead ball? Is it obstruction or interference? Thanx

Federation Rules (high school game)

Delayed dead ball. Best scenario goes to the offense.

[RPatrino]

FED actually calls this "catcher's obstruction". It is a delayed dead ball. The penalty is the same as OBR "catcher's interference", where it is also a delayed dead ball.

Bob P.

[TussAgee11]

Ask the manager which scenario he wants if both could be considered favorable. (ie a runner advances to 3rd and the runner is thrown out at 1st, he may want the batter out and the advance to third)

If he chooses the penalty, remember only the BR goes to 1st, and everyone advances ONLY if forced by the BR.

[big]

I had this happen yesterday. My take on it is if everyone makes it safe I won't push it. If the coach & battrer don't have anything to say about it I'm not going to open a can of worms & delay the game. In my case it was a foul tip & I put B1 on 1st.

OK go ahead and slam me now for not following the letter of the law. I'm a big boy, I can take it!

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by big

I had this happen yesterday. My take on it is if everyone makes it safe I won't push it. If the coach & battrer don't have anything to say about it I'm not going to open a can of worms & delay the game. In my case it was a foul tip & I put B1 on 1st.

OK go ahead and slam me now for not following the letter of the law. I'm a big boy, I can take it!

In your case, the manager has no option. You made the only possible call, as the batter did not advance, and neither did any other runner for that matter. You awarded the batter 1st base, and that's all folks.

BTW, we have discussed this before, and like Tim just said, while you might want to help the coach out by giving him the options, it is not your place by rule to do so. The coach is supposed to inform you of his choice. The coaches need to know the rules at this level (HS), especially the ones that actually pertain to them.

[BigUmp56]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

Ask the manager which scenario he wants if both could be considered favorable. (ie a runner advances to 3rd and the runner is thrown out at 1st, he may want the batter out and the advance to third)

If he chooses the penalty, remember only the BR goes to 1st, and everyone advances ONLY if forced by the BR.

I might see explaining the option to a coach if he asks, but I don't think it's our job to go to him and ask him what he wants. He's the coach, let him come to you.

JMO

Tim.

[ozzy6900]

I agree with BigUmp56 and I never offer options to the manager. If he comes and asks then I will be more than happy to offer and discuss the options.