Is inadvertant contact on a force still interference?
 

Sitch: I'm BU in the "C". Bases loaded, one out. Grounder to F4 who relays to F6 to start the DP. As F6 is coming across the bag, he catches the throw which is a little behind him. After he has made the force and is transferring to throw to first, he contacts R1, who did not slide, but also did nothing intentional - merely ran straight to the base and did not overrun the base. As a result of the contact, the ball comes loose and no throw was made to first.

As my partner nor I saw anything intentional in the runner's actions, and he did nothing illegal, he did not call interference and get the DP. Defensive coach wants the DP, as would have ended the game. Partner and I get together, and we agree there was nothing intentional and we played on.

Am I overthinking this now...does the fact he is now a retired runner negate the fact that it was incidental contact, and since the contact did alter the play, we should have gotten the DP? Again, he did nothing illegal, but ran straight to the base without overrunning the base.

The two runs that scored tied the game. Defensive team ended up winning the game in B7 on a wild throw from the pitcher to the catcher on a bases-loaded dribbler, trying for the force at home.

scarolinablue,

Depends on the rule code.

Under OBR rules, that sounds like "nothing" (at least as I'm picturing it).

Under FED rules, this is clearly an FPSR violation and both the R1 and the BR would be out.

JM

Where is the "clear" FPSR violation? The runner is not required to slide, he did not overrun the base and he did not intentionally interfere. The FPSR requires illegal contact and/or altering of the play to be enforced. I think you got it right.

Don't just read 8-4-2b. Read 8-4-2f. There was no attempt to avoid contact with the fielder on a force play.

It was after re-reading 8-4-2f that I started questioning the call. There was no attempt to avoid, but it was also a relatively close play on the force - not quite a banger, but they didn't have the runner by 5 steps, either. Maybe you HTBT, and maybe it could have been called either way. I see it in a bit of a gray area, and could defend either call.

Interested in more opinions, if there are any. Is there a gray area here? Or, if there was enough time to begin the transfer of the ball from the glove to the throwing hand, was there enough time to avoid? Would this be more like not sliding and letting the throw hit you - but that would be intentional, wouldn't it? This contact was clearly not intentional. Thanks.

Since you were there, and you judged this, then, to me, the answer is clear--there was illegal contact per 8-4-2f. The rule is quite explicit that there must be an attempt to avoid or a legal slide.

In the judgment, yes. In the rule, no.

scarolinablue,

In a FED game this is absolutely an FPSR violation, no "grey area" involved.

In leagues that play with an FPSR (FED, NCAA, American Legion) a "forced" runner has two options:

1. He can make a "legal slide" (there are some variations among codes as to what constitutes a "legal slide")

or

2. He can remain standing as long as he does not make contact with the pivot man OR alter the play.

In your sitch, the R1 chose not to slide and failed to avoid the pivot man AND altered the play. In a league with an FPSR, that IS "illegal contact", regardless of intent, and both the R1 and BR are out, the ball is dead, any other runners return to their TOP base.

JM

The O/P said the fielder contacted the runner (not the other way around) because the throw was behind him. It is entirely plausible that the runner WAS trying to avoid contact, but a bad throw caused the fielder to contact the runner (who was standing on the base).

If this is "clearly" a FPSR violation, then fielders would be coached to find a way to contact the runner and get an automatic DP every time (and perhaps save a run).

HTBT for sure.

Not quite sure what you meant by "After he has made the force and is transferring to throw to first, he contacts R1."

This makes me question who contacted who?

If the runner by standing on the bag, caused F6 to alter the play then yes, I also have interference. However, if the fielder crossed the bag and ran into the runner that was trying to get out of the way , then I have nothing.

Also, from what I read, the runner may not have altered or interfered intentionally but, he did interfer and he did alter the play. Intent has nothing to do with it here.

Being that he said there was no attempt to avoid, that's all the info needed (well, that and that it was a force play.)

He didn't say that.

Which is where I say HTBT, perhaps. The runner was out by about a step and a half, but the throw was behind F6, so he had to reach behind to make the catch. As his momentum carried him across the bag, R1 and F6 made contact, causing the ball to be dropped by F6. It was obvious it was not intentional, but he also did not appear to be avoiding contact, either. He ran straight to the bag but did not overrun the bag.

After digesting this, I'd say we should have called the FPSR violation as outlined in 8-4-2f and rang up the DP. However, I also feel it would have been hard for R1 to avoid the contact unless he slid, of which he is not required. However, inadvertent or not, the rule should still apply and the violation penalized, since contact was not avoided and the play was altered by the retired runner.

We'll get 'em next time. Thanks for the input.

Read post 5.

Keep in mind, he doesn't have to avoid contact--an attempt to avoid contact will suffice. As soon as F6 moves in the direction of R1, all R1 has to do is show that he is attempting to avoid F6--whether he succeeds is irrelevant.

I have a FPSR in NCAA and FED