Batters Box

[brettbanks]

Need help. Delayed steal from third to home. When pitcher throws ball catcher to try to get runner at home. The catcher has to reach in batters box where batter is standing to receive ball. The umpire calls the runner out for interference. Batter did not make attempt to hinder catcher from catching ball nor did he make attempt to get out of way. What is the ruling?

[Rich Ives]

Please describe the sequence better.


When did the "throw" happen?

[MD Longhorn]

Sounds like INT.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

Please describe the sequence better.


When did the "throw" happen?

Further -- was it a throw or a pitch? (Was F1 in contact with the rubber?) If F1 was off, was there a delay between him stepping off and the throw home?

[MD Longhorn]

I'm confused by you guys' confusion.

He said Delayed Steal... not just a normal steal. A delayed steal is when the runner takes off as or slightly after the catcher returns the ball to the pitcher after a pitch.

[chapmaja]

I'm not a baseball ump (except Rec League). I would have to say INT on this play, if the batter hindered the catcher's attempt to catch or tag the runner. If he did not hinder or interfere with the catcher, it can't be interference because he never interfered. If the catcher could not catch the ball, it would be interference if the act was intentional or not. Why? At the point the delayed steal occurred the batter had time to get himself out of the way of the incoming runner (assuming a RH batter) and the throw from the pitcher to the catcher.

Had this been a steal on a pitch, rather than a delayed steal I would say no INT, but on a delayed steal, the batter has to get out of the way of the play.

Also, I could be wrong, but in this case wouldn't the batter (who interfered) be out for interference, rather than the runner, since it was the batter who interfered?

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

I'm confused by you guys' confusion.

He said Delayed Steal... not just a normal steal. A delayed steal is when the runner takes off as or slightly after the catcher returns the ball to the pitcher after a pitch.

That's one way.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

That's one way.

... ok...

Thanks for utterly failing to alleviate my confusion.

[ozzy6900]

Okay, would the original poster please inform all of us, did F1 PITCH or THROW the ball to the plate? None of us were there and several people have asked for clarification!!

[brettbanks]

Was not a pitch it was a throw. Delayed steal

[bob jenkins]

Then probably INT.

[CT1]

INT, assuming B1 had time to vacate the area.

[Mrumpiresir]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Also, I could be wrong, but in this case wouldn't the batter (who interfered) be out for interference, rather than the runner, since it was the batter who interfered?

With less than two outs, the runner is out. If there are two outs, the batter is out.

[PAlbc]

Ok, different scenario, but what would this count as?

https://vine.co/v/e7QLrnjB6jQ

[bob jenkins]

It would count as a bush play by a MiLB player, and a pitch in the ribs the next time up.