Is it interference?

[Richard_Siegel]

Originally Posted by ncump7

Do you guys tell the batter to move or just hope he does? I usually say "out of the way, batter" and say it again louder if he does't move. Most of the time he is in my way when I am trying to move to make a call. I'm thinking if he doesn't move, he has opened himself up to a possible interference call.

VERY BAD IDEA!

This is coaching! Your job is to see what the players do and rule on their actions. We do not TELL them how to play!

I realize you do this with good intentions. The road to hell is paved with them! But think of it....how is what you are doing any different than telling an advancing runner, "Hey, you missed the base! go back and touch it before you go to the next base!" Or how about, shouting to the shortstop on a ground ball, "Go for two! Get the double play!" We do not help the players to make the right decisions.

Batter's are expected to know what they are supposed to do to avoid interferring. It is not our job to educate them.

Suppose a runner was stealing home and the batter was not quite in the runner's way, but was not moving. The runner could legally get by B1 and score, and the catcher could legally R3 tag too. However, suppose you shout, "batter move!" Now the batter is suddenly surprised and confused and he darts foward and blocks the runner who gets tagged out. Now his coach will complain to you that R3 would have scored, except YOU told him to move and he got in front of the runner!

Or, worse. The catcher gets the ball and has a clear shot at the approaching runner. You shout, "batter move!" The batter is suddenly surprised and confused and he darts foward and blocks the catcher's tag attempt. Now you have to call interference on the batter, where there might not have been any interference had you not ordered the batter to move!

No good deed goes unpunished!