Does the Angel's protest have a leg to stand on?

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by brainbrian

Separate from the protest, I am confused how this is not runner interference. The runner seems to even have a foot on the grass. Of course the throw was not good, ...

What if the throw had hit the runner in the back? Any different ruling for that?

You've answered your own first question. You need to understand the rule: RLI is special because it involves interference with taking the throw, not making the throw. So by interpretation, it must be a quality throw that would otherwise have retired the runner. As you state, that's not what we had here, so no RLI.

You can now answer your second question: if the throw hits him in the back, would it have retired him? Probably, hence in that case we'd call RLI if he's out of the lane.

[tcarilli]

Originally Posted by brainbrian

...I am confused how this is not runner interference. The runner seems to even have a foot on the grass. Of course the throw was not good, you can see the runner in the path and how Pujols has to stretch his glove out to get around the runner. And the catcher has come a step or two out from home plate also to try and get around the runner. That's why it was a bad throw....What if the throw had hit the runner in the back? Any different ruling for that?

Because that is not what the rule states here is 6.05 (k)

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;

The batter-runner can only interfere with the fielder taking the throw. He cannot interfere with the player making the throw.

[brainbrian]

Makes sense to me now. Thanks mbyron and tcarilli.