Odd Yanks-Royals call today

[greymule]

Jeter's bat hit Buck on the backswing

Not in the game I was watching. That is, if you interpret backswing to mean the continuous traveling of the bat around and behind the batter after the swing. Or does it mean some sort of reversal of the bat back toward and across the plate after the swing? Even then, that didn't occur in this situation. Jeter simply swung and leaned over the plate. Maybe there's a picture somewhere on the web.

Maybe Bell checked 6.06 (c) after the game and then gave the reporters explanation that fit the rule.

Backswing certainly means something different in golf.

From the New York Times: "Damon was sent back to first, instead of being called out . . ." Even the Grey Lady thinks the runner is out on batter INT.

[orangeump]

by simply reading what happened as described in the OP I knew it was backswing interference. Seems pretty logical/easy etc.

[Dave Reed]

Originally Posted by greymule

...if you interpret backswing to mean the continuous traveling of the bat around and behind the batter after the swing.

That's the motion. I'm not going to quote the whole PBUC rule, or the similar comments in J/R, but the PBUC Manual titles the rule "Backswing Hits Catcher", and it refers to the bat hitting the catcher or ball in back (hence the name) of the batter during the follow through.

PBUC manual doesn't call it backswing interference, because it isn't interference at all, but only a dead ball strike, and no runners can advance.

J/R terms it confusingly one kind of "interference without a play", and according to them, it is interference, but it is still only a dead ball strike.

Apparently the Grey Lady hasn't read all the interps!

[SAump]

I bet it had something to do w/ the swing prior to interference saving Jeter's at-bat.
Jeter would have been ruled out for interference had he not swung.

J/R probably discusses the matter and references the same OBR rule.
There is probably a case play in MLBUM or PBUC to go with it citing dead ball interference.
{no bases can be run, no outs can be made}

[jkumpire]

Gray here says we have something different, and I hope it is not a case of backing and filling because PU missed a call.