Running Lane violation

[dileonardoja]

Had a play last night that I have a question about. Men's league, pretty good quality ball. Turf field without a marked running lane. 1 out, no one on, D3K just to the 3B side of HP. B/R takes off for first. F2 picks up ball and makes throw directly over B/R who is running completely inside the foul line. F3 jumps to make catch and comes down on bag as runner touches the bag. I have an out and sell it.

Question is if I didn't have an out, could this have been interference even though the throw was high? In my opinion it was high because the catcher was throwing over the runner. The runner was basically taking away the inside throw and based on where the ball ended up an outside throw would have been a little impractical. What is the correct mechanic?

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by dileonardoja

Had a play last night that I have a question about. Men's league, pretty good quality ball. Turf field without a marked running lane. 1 out, no one on, D3K just to the 3B side of HP. B/R takes off for first. F2 picks up ball and makes throw directly over B/R who is running completely inside the foul line. F3 jumps to make catch and comes down on bag as runner touches the bag. I have an out and sell it.

Question is if I didn't have an out, could this have been interference even though the throw was high? In my opinion it was high because the catcher was throwing over the runner. The runner was basically taking away the inside throw and based on where the ball ended up an outside throw would have been a little impractical. What is the correct mechanic?

Kind of depends on why the out didn't happen. RL interference must be with a quality throw. If F2 threw high and F3 missed it, you might not have interference. If F2 threw and F3 could have caught it, but couldn't because he couldn't see it in time, you might have int.

The runner doesn't "take away" anything from the catcher's ability to make a quality throw.

[rbmartin]

6.05(k) A batter is out when 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; 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;



the last half of the distance from home base to first base... lane need not be marked

interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base...use your own judgement here as in any interference/obstruction scenario. In my opinion, if the runners presence outside the prescribed runners lane necessitated or caused F2 to throw the ball wildly (ie. rainbow a throw over the batter/runners head), that could be interference even though no contact was made.

[dash_riprock]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

In my opinion, if the runners presence outside the prescribed runners lane necessitated or caused F2 to throw the ball wildly (ie. rainbow a throw over the batter/runners head), that could be interference even though no contact was made.

Only in FED.

[rbmartin]

Originally Posted by dash_riprock

Only in FED.

Why do you feel it could not be considered in OBR?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

Why do you feel it could not be considered in OBR?

By interpretation, the throw to 1B must be a quality throw that would otherwise have retired the runner. A throw over F3's head would not have retired the runner. Under OBR, the runner has not interfered with such a throw.

FED puts the burden on the runner more than OBR, and the rule discourages catchers from drilling the runner in the back by explicitly permitting an INT call even if the throw is poor. Safety considerations motivate this rule difference from OBR.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

Why do you feel it could not be considered in OBR?

A quality throw is required under OBR in order for there to be interference. The runner is actually interfering with the fielder's ability to make a play.

If it is not a quality throw then there is no play by the fielder
to interfere with.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

Why do you feel it could not be considered in OBR?

You bolded the answer to this...
interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base.
Not "causes the catcher to abandon all hope of an out by throwing the ball into right field"