batters interference/interference by teammate

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by _Bruno_

what i wanted to know is, if the batter really interferes with a throw from the backstop, is he interfering as a batter or as an offensive teammate ? if he interferes as a batter, he would be called out, as an offensive teammate, the runner would be called out.

this is from J/R :

Examples of "offensive teammates" include:
(a) a batter after a pitch has gone past the catcher (such batter is no longer trying to bat the pitch and is treated as an "offensive teammate" in a determination of whether interference has occurred).

so in this case, R1 should be called out.

I remember that from J/R, but I'm ambivalent about the call. The reason is that the batter is still the batter: he's up there for a specific reason, even though his opportunity to hit the pitch has passed. Moreover, unlike an "offensive teammate," the batter CAN be called out.

That's why the batter has some protections against being called for INT that a teammate lacks: we say, he has a "right" to be there, etc., and a teammate must always stay out of the way.

This is not garden-variety batter interference, but I still think that's the issue, not interference by a teammate. On a passed ball, the batter has an opportunity to get out of the way, and must do so or risk being called for INT.