3-2-3

urgone · #1 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 04, 2011, 03:11pm

Batted ball goes down the right field line fair but continues to roll into foul territory where a teammate of the batter picks up the baseball who was on his way down to the bull pen....guees he thought it was foul. The crew that did the game killed the ball and left the batter at first. I thought 3-2-3 Penalty should be invoked and we whack him out. THOUGHTS ???

bob jenkins · #2 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 04, 2011, 04:06pm

Intentional interference by a person authorized to be on the field. Put the runners where you think they'd end up.

urgone · #3 (**permalink**) Mon Jul 04, 2011, 11:51pm

Really ? 3-2-3 Penalty is pretty straight forward. The offensive team does not vacate an area to allow the defense to attempt to field a batted ball the ball is dead immediately & the runner out. I guees I'm too old school. If I just put runners where I think they would be I can't win that arguement with the defensive coach plus I got to wiggle around 3-2-3. The offense has got no business being in live ball territory and IF they are(authorized or not) please don't tell me it's just OK that they pick up a LIVE BATTED BASEBALL and I do NOTHING to their teammate who hit it? I'm open to be convinced otherwise Bob but I'd sure like to hear how?

Dave Reed · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 05, 2011, 12:54am

One needs to have an actual infraction of the rule in order to invoke the penalty. You haven't quoted the relevant section of the rule fully. It is
nor shall the base coach or members of the team at bat fail to vacate any area needed by a fielder in his attempt to put out a batter or runner.

Nothing in the original post suggests that a fielder was actively trying to field the ball, or attempting to put out a runner or the batter. I don't think I've ever seen a person authorized to be on the field pick up a ball in foul territory while a fielder is approaching with an obvious intent to play on a runner. Doing so would imply intent or a remarkable state of obliviousness, rather than he "thought it was foul." In other words, if the condition of this rule--fielder attempting to put somebody out--is met, an offensive teammate is very unlikely to touch the ball.

Siimilarly, if the batter hits a foul fly, and a offensive player (e.g. the kid protecting the bullpen) touches the ball in flight, you should only declare the batter out if a fielder was close enough to catch it. Otherwise it is just a foul ball, in spite of 3-2-3.

bob jenkins · #5 (**permalink**) Tue Jul 05, 2011, 07:54am

Quote:

Originally Posted by urgone

really ? 3-2-3 penalty is pretty straight forward. The offensive team does not vacate an area to allow the defense to attempt to field a batted ball the ball is dead immediately & the runner out. I guees i'm too old school. If i just put runners where i think they would be i can't win that arguement with the defensive coach plus i got to wiggle around 3-2-3. The offense has got no business being in live ball territory and if they are(authorized or not) please don't tell me it's just ok that they pick up a live batted baseball and i do nothing to their teammate who hit it? I'm open to be convinced otherwise bob but i'd sure like to hear how?

3.15