Batter picking up the ball

[chitownvet]

[QUOTE=bob jenkins;610964]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Sorry, Pete, but 3.15 specifically does not apply to offensive team members participating in the game (meaning batters or runners).

And, even if it did apply, while it's interference, that just means the ball is dead and the umpire imposes whatever bases or outs he wants.

I'd go to 2.00-Interference "...impedes ... any fielder attempting to make a play."

I can read the OP in two ways -- the other runners were sufficiently far enough off the base that there was a play, or the action was (reasonably) relaxed and there wasn't a play. The former is interference (and an out); the other is "weak interference" and put everyone back.

Only the OP can decide, sinc he was there.

Yes, that was the source of my later concern. It was the catchers actions that initially swayed me to call interference and hence the batter/runner out. He rushed to retrieve the ball and as he arrived the ball was handled by the batter/runner. As I said, the runners were NOT heading back to their respective bases, but were not making a mad dash for the next base either. I felt the catcher may have attempted a play, and therefore made the call as I did.