catcher interference

[Bfair]

With catcher interference, the call is a delayed dead ball. If the batter and ALL runners advance at least one base, the infraction is ignored and all runners advance at their own risk beyond the base they would have been awarded. The offense has no choice since all advanced.

If the infraction is not ignored, the penalty for the interference is that the batter is awarded first base. Additionally, any runners who may have been stealing on the play and any runner forced to advance as a result of the batter's award are also awarded one base. All other runners return to base occupied at time of pitch.

However, if the all runners and the batter do not advance at least one base, the offense has the option of taking the resulting play instead of the penalty.

Let's suppose batter is interfered with, yet manages to hit a fly ball to right field to score a tagging R3. Manager might elect to take the run scored and accept the out instead of leaving R3 at third and awarding 1B to the batter.

Just my opinion,

Freix