R3 grabs foul ball

[soundedlikeastrike]

I will try and convince you: Sounds like a chore though.

To think a batted ball that's still live, can be intentionally caught, kicked, or whatever, by the offense is absurd.

My original post, "sounds like you got away with it", means just that. A real coach would have eat'n ya up, and rightfully so, especially at this level of play. He (coach) simply agreed, that the ball had no chance of being fair, so no harm done, shows his ingnorance (of the rules) right there.

To warn, "don't do that" is simply agreeing that it should not be done and that a penalty could be awarded, should it be repeated.

I personally don't agree, with a "don't do that" as it does give the message that there is no penalty. Since the infraction and penalty were ignored, that would be the least to do, "don't do that" with perhaps a non-commital explanation; "hey, you were lucky there, that ball was foul, but if it has a chance your interferiing"..

Some rule quotes for ya:

A FOUL BALL is a batted ball that settles on foul territory between home and first base, or between home and third base, or that bounds past first or third base on or over foul territory, or that first falls on foul territory beyond first or third base, or that, while on or over foul territory, touches the person of an umpire or player, or any object foreign to the natural ground.

IMO: The ball is not foul, this ball did not touch anything, it was "touched intentionally" by an offensive player.

INTERFERENCE
(a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If the umpire declares the batter, batter- runner, or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that was in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless otherwise provided by these rules.

IMO: this is a batted ball, still live and not yet foul.

A LIVE BALL is a ball which is in play.
IMO: See above.


Official Rules: 7.00 The Runner

7.08
Any runner is out when --
(b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball;
Rule 7.08(b) Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.
If, however, the runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders the fielder, he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on "fair or foul territory", is intentional. If the umpire declares the "hindrance intentional", the following penalty shall apply: With less than two out, the umpire shall declare both the runner and batter out. With two out, the umpire shall declare the batter out.

IMO: the fielder was hindered attempting to make a play on a live batted ball.

6.05
A batter is out when --
(i) After hitting or bunting a foul ball, he intentionally deflects the course of the ball in any manner while running to first base. The ball is dead and no runners may advance;

IMO: if the batter can't do it, neither can a baserunner..