Catcher's Int
 

Situation came up with my buddy at another game and i'm pretty confident i told him the appropriate rule when he asked me about it:

R3. Batter is interfered with by the catcher and the ball is topped to the 2nd baseman. On the throw to first the ball gets by the first baseman and they check R3 back to third and throw to 2nd to get the BR, who is tagged out at 2nd.


My buddy said that since the BR advanced past first at his own peril, his out stands at 2nd.

I said that since all runners and the batter didn't advance a base, the CI is not ignored, so we enforce the CI penalty (the BR is placed on first, R3 stays at 3rd-since he didn't steal, and the out is negated).

Please set one of us straight.

Thanks!!

The old MLB rules stated that "Runners not attempting to steal or not forced to advance remain on the base occupied at the time of the interference."(6.08citalics)

I believe this still holds true. Therefore I would have called the batter-runner out. The new rulebook did not clarify this so I could be wrong.

You are correct, your buddy is wrong.

I agree with DG -- enforce the CI (unless, for some strange reason the offense wants the play). You only ignore it if all runners (including the BR) advance a base.

The "if forced or stealing" applies to what the award is, and has nothing to do with whether the play is allowed to stand.