Dropped 3rd Strike

[wasper16]

Don't you love Little Leage? I had another unique play.

The batter swings and misses the 3rd strike but the catcher drops the ball. The runner delays and then breaks toward 1st. The catcher picks up the ball with his glove and attempts to tag the batter/runner. In doing so the ball comes out of his glove and the batter/runner kicks the ball toward 2nd base. What the proper call?

What would the correct call be if instead of the catcher picking the ball up, the batter/runner kicks the ball on his way to first without the defensive player touching the ball?

[bob jenkins]

1) No call

2) No call unless intentional (very unlikely at that level)

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by wasper16

Don't you love Little League? I had another unique play.

The batter swings and misses the 3rd strike but the catcher drops the ball. The runner delays and then breaks toward 1st. The catcher picks up the ball with his glove and attempts to tag the batter/runner. In doing so the ball comes out of his glove and the batter/runner kicks the ball toward 2nd base. What the proper call?

What would the correct call be if instead of the catcher picking the ball up, the batter/runner kicks the ball on his way to first without the defensive player touching the ball?

MLB seems to have changed the OBR interp to place the onus all on the batter-runner by saying that if the B-R clearly hinders the catcher it's interference.. Stupid move. Defense screws up and it's the defense's fault?

The prior interp was that if it happened before the B-R had a chance to avoid the ball then it's a live ball.

I'd recommend using the latter in LL.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

MLB seems to have changed the OBR interp to place the onus all on the batter-runner by saying that if the B-R clearly hinders the catcher it's interference.. Stupid move. Defense screws up and it's the defense's fault?

The prior interp was that if it happened before the B-R had a chance to avoid the ball then it's a live ball.

I'd recommend using the latter in LL.

They added the comment to 7.09(a) in 2013 and revised the MLBUM interp. It no longer matters if the batter is in the vicinity of HP. Already been called that way in MLB.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

MLB seems to have changed the OBR interp to place the onus all on the batter-runner by saying that if the B-R clearly hinders the catcher it's interference.. Stupid move. Defense screws up and it's the defense's fault?

The prior interp was that if it happened before the B-R had a chance to avoid the ball then it's a live ball.

I'd recommend using the latter in LL.

I forgot about that change -- and I agree with your editorial comments.

I'm taking a very hard look at the "clearly" part of the rule when I judge this.