Catcher catching ball in front of the plate.
 

R-3 and R-1 on base with one out. The pitcher delivers a very slow pitch which F-2 catches in front of the plate. The batter did not swing, or better yet - was not able to swing at the pitch due to the location of the catcher. The catcher tells the plate umpire -"It was a pitchout." The batter screams he couldn't offer at the pitch without hitting the catcher. The ball probably would have been a strike if not for the catcher catching it front of the plate. Again, it was a very slow pitch. What do you have? Anything??

My best guess would be a ball as it never crossed the plate.

I wouldn't want to be that catcher, when the batter decides to swing for the fences. W/o the batter having attempted I doubt I could call CI unless I feel he started then stopped because of the catcher being in the way. And the catcher would get a don't do that.

I don't know if we want coaches teaching their kids to swing so they hit the catcher to get us to move the catcher back. Doesn't sound like a pitchout to me? I don't care what he says. What if he told you that was a strike? Would you simply agree with him?

This happened to a friend of mine at a men's league game last night. I told him I thought it was simply a ball. He called a balk on the pitcher and advanced the runners.

I can see that - throwing a pitch which does not cross a foul line...

I have Catcher's Obstruction (or Interference if you wanna play it that way). Looking in the FED's HS Rules by Topic Guide it states that F2 may not catch a pitch until it has crossed HP. BR gets 1st, R1 gets 2nd (on force), and R3 gets HP only if stealing on the play.

Rule 2.00 (Interference) (b) Defensive interference is an act by a fielder which hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch.

That was interference if playing by MLB rules. Federation has similar language, I think.

Joe in Missouri

This is defensive (catcher's) obstruction. 8.1.1F tells us that "F2 may not
catch the pitch until it has passed home plate". Award the batter first base on this play

-Josh

{I was beat to the punch, darn}

I like that ruling...a pitch that does not cross the foul line shall be called a balk or an illegal pitch. Great post!

Position of the catcher:

The catcher shall station himself directly back of the plate. He may leave his position at any time to catch a pitch or make a play except that when the batter is being given an intentional base on balls, the catcher must stand with both feet within the lines of the catcher’s box until the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.
PENALTY: Balk.

What rule set?

This is catcher interference (OBR) or obstruction (FED).

FED as mbyron has quoted

-Josh

thank you.

OBR: So on a squeeze as long as F2 does not step on the plate and the batter doesn't attept a swing that would hit the F2, F2 can catch the ball over the plate and attempt a tag on R3? Am I reading that correctly?

As far as I know it was not a squeeze or runner trying to steal home. However, R-1 was attempting to steal 2nd.

OBR:

CI. Batter gets 1B. 6.08(c)

If R3 is trying to score on a squeeze play or a steal on the pitch, then CI, batter gets 1B and balk charged to pitcher and all runners move up 1 base including the runner who now scores. 7.07

In FED: BR awarded 1B any runner forced is awarded that base as well, and any runners stealing are awarde that base. In the OP R1 gets 2B on either the steal or the award to the BR, and R3 stays at 3B b/c he was not stealing.

in FED if it's a balk, all runners advance one base...everything after the balk doesn't matter. Dead ball balks.

I agree a balk is 1 base, and a DB, but don't believe this is a balk.

One need only ask himself: "Did the catcher hinder or impede the batter's attempt to swing at the pitch?" If yes, it's defensive (catcher's) interference (NCAA/OBR terminology).

Even if the batter did not, in fact, swing, if the catcher's actions prevented the batter from even being able to swing, then one can have defensive interference.

So, w/ no runners on base, we'd award B/R 1B, just as though he's attempted to swing and hit the mitt that was out over the plate. Is the 'buffer zone' considered the plate? Or is that strictly umpire judgement? I know this sounds like a dumb question, but the batter does absorb some burden on attempting to hit the pitch, correct?

There isn't any buffer zone, per se; rather, it's just that he has to be able to at least make a legitimate attempt to swing unperturbed at the pitch. If the catcher is on or in front of the plate, there's no way the batter is going to be able to do this. Consequently, we have defensive interference.

I agree with you...but what about behind that plate? (I didn't specify that in my earlier question) Outside of the blatantly late swing, is the catcher protected like any other fielder, in that he has a right to attempt to field the ball behind home plate...in this case, the pitched ball?

Ah but... this is not a ball that has been hit, it has been thrown. What protection hath a fielder on a throw?

I understand that Rube...I guess I wasn't asking in relation to the OP...this is a one-off question...if you will.

I think that I understand what you are asking, but for the sake of saving me the ripping that might ensue from answering a question not asked, can you restate your question succinctly?

A one off question a tiny-bit in relation to the OP:

Outside of the blatantly late swing, is the catcher protected like any other fielder, in that he has a right to attempt to field the ball behind home plate...in this case, the pitched ball?

F2 only has a right to get the ball after the batter has had a complete, uninterrupted chance to hit the ball.

Meaning, until the ball has completely passed the plate and the batter takes no chance to hit the ball while in flight. For the plate, remember, the ball has to cross the foul line(s) to be a pitch. For the takes no chance, if the batter swings at the ball while it is still in flight and not with the obvious intent to hit the F2's glove(such as a really late swing), then F2 better not hinder him. If the ball is no longer in flight(and bouncing is still in flight), ie. it is completely in the F2's glove, then he cannot be interfered with anymore.

So, if the catcher catches the ball behind the plate and is starting to throw to 2B, then the batter can no longer be interfered with. Now, it is the catcher that can be interfered with.

Today in my D1 game the runner from third tried to steal home. The catcher, realizing this, jumped out from behind the plate and into the batter's box opposite the batter to catch the pitch and try to get the tag down. The batter did not attempt a swing, and the catcher was not in front of the plate. A balk was called and the run scored, but there was no catcher's interference - just a balk for the catcher being clearly out of the catcher's box (in this case with BOTH feet) at the time the pitch was released.
Fun stuff.

JJ

That is only if he was out of the box before the TOP. If it happened after the TOP, then a balk is called and CI is called for the batter to be given 1B.

However, did the runner break before the pitcher started any movement and the catcher was out of the box? If the catcher was out of the box after the pitcher started his delivery, then a balk and CI should have been called. TOP is considered to have started when the pitcher starts his delivery, not when he releases the ball. He interfered with the batter's chance to hit the ball and he did it after the pitcher began his delivery of the ball(which is when TOP occurs). So, to call a balk and not CI was wrong. It should have been both.

nice posts from the D1 game...these are great things to talk through on here

NCAA
9-3-i It's a balk when "The pitcher pitches while the catcher is not in the catcher's box. The catcher must have both feet in the catcher's box until the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. PENALTY: Balk. The ball becomes dead and each runner must advance one base."
The catcher did not hinder the batter's ability to swing at the pitch. In this case he was just out of the box before the ball left the pitcher's hand. No CI.

JJ

Not so fast... How about the catcher who reaches up and snares the low pitch right on top of the plate trying to get the low strike call. (Add a swing by the batter also if you like.) I'm not going to call anything on this (except maybe strike ;)) unless batter actually makes contact with the glove, or catcher.

Believe me. I am not going to make that call. If it hits the mitt and the batter had his chance to hit it, then I will not call it anything other than what the pitch was. To call anything else b/c the batter let the ball go by or swung and missed would be the wrong end. Even if the catcher has his glove over HP. The batter has to make an attempt of some kind(no matter how small) to hit the ball. Then, I will consider where F2 is if it is really obvious that he was in a position to hinder the batter and the batter did not swing b/c of F2.

Otherwise, I call the pitch or, as pointed out for NCAA, call any other rule which may have been violated.