The Official Forum - Runner Interference With No Fielder Nearby

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Geneva">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dave Sirbu:
I'm relatively new to this board and don't if this has been written about or not. But, here goes.

Play:
R2 only, no outs. When batter squares to bunt, the defense puts on a "wheel" coverage..F6 races to cover 3B, F4 covers 1B, and F5 and F1 charge in to cover bunt. However, batter pulls the bat back and hits sharp grounder to the vacated SS area and the ball touches R2.

My question: Is a runner still out for interference when a batted ball touches him and a fielder is nowhere near him as in the above play? Who's he interfering with? Dead ball or live ball?

Regards,

Dave Sirbu<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

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Dave: This question has been debated on rso, the URC, eteamz, and the now-defunct McGriff's.

The runner is out.

1. The standard rule is that a runner who is hit by a batted ball is out. (7.08f) There are three exceptions.

The runner is not out if:

(a) he is touching a base when hit by an infield fly. (7.08f Exceptiion)

(b) the ball touches him after having been deflected by a fielder. (7.09m)

(c) the ball touches him after going "through, or by, an infielder" and the runner is "immediately back of him." (7.09m) [my emphasis]

The softball umpires conclusively showed their rules are different. Their rule requires that the defense must be able to make a play on the batted ball. In fact, one of the softball books says: "make an out."

That is not now, nor has it ever been, the rule in the OBR.

In FED the umpire is asked to determine if the defense could have made a play following interference where the force play slide rule is not in effect. That, or the softball rule, may be responsible for the erroneous information circulating about OBR.

Lest you think the book's language is insufficient, here's comment from the JEA, page 7:101:

[A runner is <font size = 5>NOT</font> out if:]

Note: Thanks to Roger Greene for pointing out I had omitted "not."

(1)The fair bail touches him after going between the legs of an infielder, unless
he allows the bail to strike him intentionally;

(2) The fair ball touches him after passing immediately by an infielder, unless he
allows the ball to touch him intentionally. Immediately by is considered as being within one arms reach. [my emphasis] If the fielder should have fielded the ball with ordinary effort but failed, the
runner is not declared out.

(3) The ball touches him after being deflected, unless he intentionally
interferes. An American League directive orders that the runner shall not be called out even if another infielder had a chance to make a play (unless his actions are designed to interfere with the deflected ball.)

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You will note that the American League directive Evans alludes to in Section Three is contrary to the language of 7.09(m). The NAPBL has a similar edict at 4.5.

Both the language of the book and authoritative opinion dictate this is a cut-and-dried play, requiring only the most minimal umpire judgment: Did the fielder come within one step of fielding the ball?

Your play again:

Play:
R2 only, no outs. When batter squares to bunt, the defense puts on a "wheel" coverage..F6 races to cover 3B, F4 covers 1B, and F5 and F1 charge in to cover bunt. However, batter pulls the bat back and hits sharp grounder to the vacated SS area and the ball touches R2.

Now, you make the call:

1. Was the runner hit by a batted ball?
Answer: Yes.
2. Was it an infield fly while he was on his base?
Answer: No.
3. Was the ball deflected by a fielder?
Answer: No.
4. Was the runner directly in back of a fielder who came within "one arm's reach" of gloving the batted ball?
Answser: No.

So...?

------------------
Papa C
Editor, eUmpire

[This message has been edited by Carl Childress (edited September 02, 2000).]