the running line hitter-runner
 

Hi everybody,
I'm an italian umpire and if is possible i just wanna ask a suggest about a rule!Sorry about my english:)!
Which are the vision limits that an umpire-chief have to check to understand if the runner is or isn't in the running line.
The questions that i looking for an answer are:
if a player run with the left foot on the foul line,can be called interference or not?Do you look the runner's foot or all the body?

What I wanna understand,at the end, is when i have to call an interference!

PS I'm talking about the interference between the runner and the first base-man!

thanks!!!

If the runner's foot is completely outside the line (not touching it at all), he's guilty of interference.

Fixed it for ya. ;)

Spizzico: merely stepping outside the lane is nothing until it creates a problem for the defense making a play at first base.

That is only true for OBR and not Fed, is it not?

It's partially true for FED (and I doubt spizzico does any FED ball).

Exactly.

FED nominally doesn't care about "quality throw," but I'm not sure why not.

In practice, it doesn't really change how the game is called, though.

I think I just said that. :D

• You do not call interference unless there actually is interference.
• The batter-runner is responsible to remain in the lane from the 45 foot mark to the front of 1st base.
• The Batter-runner is allowed to leave the running lane to touch 1st base.
• The throw must be a quality throw (to be judged by the plate umpire.
• The running lane does not come into play unless the throw is coming from behindthe batter-runner (so a throw from the 3rd baseman will not involve the running lane).

People, Spizzico is from Italy and they play OBR there. So lay off the FED & NCAA rulings and stick with what the guy is asking about.

Good point, lost the context there, my apologies.

You'd fit in well umpiring softball around Trenton, New Jersey, Spizzico. On my 2008 ASA roster, the last names of more than half the 100+ umpires are Italian. Not as many here in Alabama, though.

What Does the FED and OBR? i don't understand

OBR = Official Baseball Rules
FED = National Federation of High Schools rules

The PBUC ruled (reported in the BRD) that the throw can be coming from anywhere.

And they can call it that way in their games, too.

And that's not the only practice in which they differ with the owners of the OBR.

Where have the owners ever commented on this?

"The running lane does not come into play unless the throw is coming from behindthe batter-runner (so a throw from the 3rd baseman will not involve the running lane)"

This point is not present in the OBR!So,the running lane in the OBR,is it good for all the infielder's plays?

Yes. The general thought is that a throw from outside the box where the plate and the pitcher's mound are opposite corners that hits the runner cannot be a "quality throw".

Not that interference isn't possible; just that it's extremely unlikely.

Grazie BOB!!! I understand, but an ultimate question: what do u mean for "quality throw"?

Catchable with ordinary effort by the fielder taking the throw at first base. If the fielder has to leap, go after, dive, or whatever it isn't a quality throw. If he can't catch it at all it's not a quality throw.

With experience, you'll get a better feel for the game and it will become more and more obvious.

Good luck.

But what if the "quality throw" is not quality because of the BR running outside the lines.... Bunt, catcher comes out and feilds ball, BR is running outside the lines towards the pitchers mound, catcher comes up throwing and throws HIGH..... If if the opinion of the PU his throw was errant becasue of BR he's out for interference.

OBR: no INT, play on
FED: INT

This is exactly the reason why FED wants INT here, regardless of the quality of throw. Catchers playing under OBR need to know to throw it to F3 even if it hits the BR.

Agreed.

But (for completeness), if BR was running on the foul side of the lane (the ball is fair in this play), and F2 makes an errant throw, BR is not out even in FED.

Too often I read, "If BR is out of the lane, he's out, evne on a non-quality throw" and that statement is just a little too broad.

Right. The FED rule says the infraction is ignored if the B/R does not interfere with either the fielder or the throw. The rule needs no interpretation. Nevertheless, FED mucked it up when they tried to clarify that a runner need not be hit with the throw for INT to occur. It came out, as Bob said - if the B/R is out of the lane and if there is a throw, INT is presumed (no quality throw required). That's more than an interpretation - it's a rule change.

I think Tim C was at the board/committee meeting and reported the interp. on this forum. It might have emanated from Elliot Hopkins.

It was an interp (throw over the head of F3), like in 2005. I don't recall seeing it in rule or in case book. If you can point me to it I will stand corrected, and thank you for the education.

but the OBR clarify that is interference only if the batter-runner INT with the taking of first baseman, not with the shot of the catcher....ex: the assistance of Catcher hit the body of batter-runner outside the line....is INT because that INT with the taking of first baseman.....is right???

That's how the rule reads, yes.

We have a coach here that teaches his players to run inside the running lane on ground balls to the infield. Now, a throw from the F5 (charging in), which F3 has to reach for (up the foul line), causes either a hit runner or a minor collision (with F3's mitt), just before B1 reaches the base. (B1 is/was clearly out of the running lane leading up to the base.
Would we have anything in iether fed, obr or mlb?

I fixed it for you.. read the rules, it does not say anything about a quality throw..LOL dont read into the rule so much.

Rule 6.05k
In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is
being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or
inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing
interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is
dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of) the three-foot line or inside (to
the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;

It is derived. You can't interfere with the fielder taking the throw if it wasn't possible to take the throw.


Same as no pass interference in American football if the pass is uncatchable.

LOL, read the interps. :rolleyes:

What does it mean? the rule is the rule, But is not complete, for this reason you resort to interpretations of the Rules ... in Italy we do not, we use only the OBR :(
the concept of "quality throw" is an interpretation of OBR? it is right that I should consider? thanks for the education!

Ci. Ci.

??????:confused:

That's right. You might consider the very illuminating The Rules of Professional Baseball, which you can purchase at Rules of Baseball.com. Good balance of content and comprehensiveness.

The Official Baseball Rules (OBR) were written throughout the 19th & 20th Century. As a matter of fact, the last major rule change was in 1973 - American League DH Rule was added as an experiment - 38 years later, the "experiment" is still going on! You can view the historical side of the rules at this link >>>> Baseball Almanac - Rules History.

The rules are vague and some even contradict each other. To properly umpire, you need to understand the interpretation of the rules. In scenario, the quality of the throw is important because otherwise, the catcher could simply throw the ball away or directly at the batter/runner and get the out. (In our High School rules (Federation Rules) the quality of the throw is not a consideration. As long as there is a throw, and the batter/runner is not in the land, interference may be called.) This rule is a good example of how the OBR is open ended and vague.

I cant seem to find that in the OBR rule book.. can you please provide....I see the comment, but that didnt talk about a "quality throw.."

Sure, for one easy-to-use reference see post #36. JEA and PBUC provide others and are more authoritative for pro ball.

got yea.. but post #36 is just a guy on a message board writing.. I didnt see anything..I will let you know more about the PBUC intrep soon..