Coaches interference - TIME! or not ?
 

sit :
R1, 2 outs. groundball to F6 who throws to F3 to retire the BR. the ball gets by F3 and the basecoach intentionally stopps the ball from rolling into DBT.

what's the proper ruling ?
TIME!, award any baserunner 2 bases since the ball would have entered DBT ?
or
live ball, since it was a disadvantage for the offense ?
or
........

regards

Defensive coach stops the ball from entering DBT?

Time, return runners to their bases, "Coach, don't do that again." [Coaches INT is a delayed dead ball if play is continuing.]

By awarding bases you reward bad behavior.

This is not technically "coach interference," which by definition involves "physically assisting" a runner. So we won't get an out on this play. (ODJ, note that the OP has the base coach, not the defense, interfering.)

Instead, it's interference with a live ball by an authorized person. Kill it ("TIME!") because of the interference.

Now, is this "bad behavior?" The coach presumably wants his runners to advance, so why is he stopping the ball from entering DBT? Makes no sense to me: if the ball was going in, I'm still awarding the bases.

This is not rewarding bad behavior, it's just declining to punish stupid behavior. No such punishment appears in the rules, but there is an interp about awarding bases when the ball would have entered DBT.

Similar to a ball hitting a bucket (not that that would ever happen), enforce the penalty that would have applied had the ball continued without interruption.

I had one earlier this year where the 1B coach was chasing a different foul ball down the 1B line and the LH batter laces one down the line and the 1B coach was zoning out and picked up the fair ball that was now in foul territory...at the time the 1B coach picked up the ball, I stopped the play and froze the runners...

was that correct?

Intentional interference (menaing they intended to contact the ball, not that they intended to "interfere" is a "god rule" -- apply what you think would have happened, and give the benefit of the doubt to whichever team didnt' interfere.

I agree. I would place the batter and runner as to nullify the INT. (2bases from TOP)

ty
 

Ty Bob. This is the first time I've read any reference to someone applying the 'God Rule' here.

I would want to judge whether the ball would have gone out of play and then award based on that.

Off the top of my head I don't think there is a rule specifically directed towards this. So everybody's favorite but often mis-applied rule 9.01(c) comes into effect. ( Anything not specifically covered in the rules is at the judgment of the umpire.)

A crotchety old umpire I admire told me "Never reward bad baseball" And I have kept that in the back of my mind when applying judgment calls. So here's my ruling:
Time, BR to 1st, R1 to 2nd.

The coach's boneheaded move cost him potiential bases. I have no way of knowing for certain it would have gone into DBT since the coach intentionally stopped the ball.

TIME! Offensive coach stopped a ball headed for DBT. Penalize as if it did, from TOP if first play by in infielder.