Teach Tee Something, #3:

[bsaucer]

Originally Posted by bossman72

Let's use the FED book:

8-1-1 "The batter becomes a runner ... when:"
(b) He is charged with a 3rd strike.

So it seems to me that once strike 3 is called, he is no longer a batter, but a runner, so there is no way you can call batter's interference.

I don't have a FED book, but the OBR book has two rules.

The batter is out if... The third strike is not caught... if first base is occupied when less than two are out.

The batter becomes a runner if... The third strike is not caught... provided first is unocupied or first is ocupied when two are out.

In the case here, the batter never becomes a runner if he is out on the third strike (first is occupied when two are out). I don't know why FED would say any different? Does he become a runner when he strikes out?

We have a case of a retired batter attempting to run bases, not knowing he was out. I have seen many college games where the batter would run to first on a dropped third strike, only to be told by the first base umpire that he was out (First was occupied). Since I don't have the FED book, I don't know what the ruling is on accidental interference.