Is this catcher interference?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by jicecone

Rich, he can throw the bat at a pitch 10 feet off the plate. Are you going to call that CI if the bat hits the catcher?

The rules more explicity cover the pitch while its in the strike zone. At what point are we to start using common sense here.

If the catcher gets in the way of the bat it's CI.

The rule is 6.08(c) and there is nothing about the strike zone. The strike zone is explicitly not mentioned at all in the rule or the comments. What there is is:

The catcher or any fielder interferes with him.

If the catcher hinders the batter's ability to hit the ball it's CI. Period.

[Larry1953]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

If the catcher gets in the way of the bat it's CI.

The rule is 6.08(c) and there is nothing about the strike zone. The strike zone is explicitly not mentioned at all in the rule or the comments. What there is is:

The catcher or any fielder interferes with him.

If the catcher hinders the batter's ability to hit the ball it's CI. Period.

Rich, I entirely agree (for what it's worth coming from a non-umpire). But if the batter is not swinging, there is nothing to interfere with ONCE the pitch has reached a certain point. I have proposed that "point" to be the leading edge of the plate be it ball or strike.

[Larry1953]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/...55e4e719c2.jpg

This is a picture of a typical pitch-out. The ball is not in view, the batter has not started a swing and the catcher is in position to catch it before the pitch crosses the back edge plane of the plate

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

If the catcher gets in the way of the bat it's CI.

The rule is 6.08(c) and there is nothing about the strike zone. The strike zone is explicitly not mentioned at all in the rule or the comments. What there is is:

The catcher or any fielder interferes with him.

If the catcher hinders the batter's ability to hit the ball it's CI. Period.

You call it that way in your games, coach. This is one of your more ridiculous posturings. I'm more likely to call malicious contact if the batter throws the bat at the catcher on a pitchout.