question on "interference"

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by CO ump

ODB may be daydreaming, checking out the coeds in the stands, concentrating on swing thoughts, watching R1s steal attempt (very likely)
Any number of things could have taken his attention off the ball for a second and kept him from reacting. And just as important, I doubt very seriously that ODB realized that if the ball goes in DBT R1 only gets 2nd. So what's his motivation for not getting out of the way?
I'm definitely giving the benefit of the doubt in this case to the ODB, if he's not taking intentional initative to contact ball, I'm considering it accidental.

ODB may be doing what you suggest, but if he is, he is not doing his job. As Evans teaches, everyone on the field, even coaches and ODBs have a job to do. Part of ODB's job is to not interfere. When someone is contacted by a live ball, umpires consider if that personn was attempting to do his job. In this case, ODB was not. R1 goes back to second.