FED - Three-Foot Running Lane

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Sorry for the delay here. I am aware of the PBUC's opinion and I have never agreed with it. The 3 ft lane was designed to keep the BR from interfering with the throw from F2 to F3 (when it was originally written) because it was common practice for the BR to watch where F3 was setting up and get between him and F2. That is why the rule was originally written.

Since then, the rule has been played with to include throws from anywhere. How in the world does the BR interfere with a throw from F4 to F3 if BR is not in the running lane? In 30 years, I have never called such nonsense and I have never had an argument. The only time I get arguments are when the throw comes from the plate area and the coach doesn't see what I see when I call the interference.

I know that you and others will argue and by all means go ahead. I have never called nor will I ever call a BR out of the running lane unless he actually interferes with the throw coming from behind him!

Because of the angles involved, it's nigh unto impossible to interfere with a throw from anywhere other than from behind. That's why you only see it called on throws from behind.

However, that doesn't mean you can't/shouldn't call it on a throw from elsewhere if, somehow, a runner managed to interfere.

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Because of the angles involved, it's nigh unto impossible to interfere with a throw from anywhere other than from behind. That's why you only see it called on throws from behind.

However, that doesn't mean you can't/shouldn't call it on a throw from elsewhere if, somehow, a runner managed to interfere.

See, we agree with the spirit and the intent, but I understand what you are saying. If F5 charging down the line to field a soft grounder makes a throw from say, even with the mound, we would have a situation that requires the running lane to come into play. This throw is, in fact, coming from behind the BR.