Runner on 1B. The ball is pitched to the batter.The ball would hit the batter but instead of getting out of the way,he catches it.Isn't this an out since he is interfering with a live ball? It hasn't happened to me yet in a game but I want to get it right if it does.

I doubt you will see it - in all of my games, I never have.

First - the title of the thread seems to indicate there's a steal going on... but you don't mention this in the post itself. Was R1 stealing?

If not, I have nothing - no play to interfere with - so no interference. Ball on the batter - no HBP.

If so, you could definitely make the case for interference.

You could, but you don't. ASA has made the interpretation that they are not going to start ringing up cheap outs for something SP players have been doing for years. If the batter catches the ball, stops it with a foot or bat, you simply kill it and move any advancing runner back to where they were at the TOP.

IRISHMAFIA- Do you know what page it is in the ASA Rule Book?I'd like to bring it up at our next umpire meeting.

Interesting our assumptions... :)

I VERY rarely work slowpitch, so assumed the question was about fast pitch. If R1 is stealing in fastpitch, and the batter catches the ball, you definitely have a possible interference call.

You work slowpitch - so you assumed he was talking about slowpitch. Since runner can't run until the ball crosses the plate, he couldn't already be running when the ball was caught... so I definitely see your point that the right call is simple dead ball - ball. (Similar to my comment - if not stealing, I have nothing, no play to interfere with).

Let me ask this. Wouldn't this still be a HBP? Dead ball, since no attempt was made to get out of the way (I think catching it on purpose would prove that :) then it is a ball on the batter. No INT, as it is a dead ball so runner is returned to their base at TOP? There was a question like this on the ASA test this year, and I answered it as above, no interference as it is a HBP dead ball.

Not everything is in the rule book. This is an interpretation from members of the NUS.

As I said, you could SELL interference, but I've been told not to do it.

Now, if the runner is already well on his/her way and the batter interferes with the pitched ball, yeah, I might call the INT.

Not exactly. The runner may, and always has been allowed to leave the base when the ball REACHES home plate, not cross or pass. So, it is possible, but if the umpire is on his/her game, the ball is going to be called dead almost immediately. And remember, just because it isn't out of the umpire's mouth doesn't mean it hasn't already been decided.

However, as stated in another post, if the runner is well on their way and batter interferes with the pitched ball, I may call the INT.

Casebook Play 7.5-2
(SP only). Batter is in the batters box. The pitched ball is thrown and the batter reaches out and catches an inside pitch.

RULING: The ball is dead when touched by the batter. The umpire shall call the pitch a ball or a strike (7-5E, 7-4I).

Casebook play 7.6-15
(FP, SP with stealing) A batter reaches up to catch an inside pitch as a base runner attempts to steal.

RULING: The ball is dead. This would be a form of interference on the batter who is called out and the runner is returned to the base occupied at the start of the pitch (7-6P, 8-7C).

Looks like Bob and Bernie were overruled on this one.

Is this ASA? BTW it is slow pitch I would be calling

Steve,

Well aware of this CB play which is why I asked if there was any change this year. Didn't get an answer.

However, you will note that I concurred that if stealing, I may call the INT. But that would most likely only happen if the runner was off immediately and you don't see that very often.

Also, my reference wasn't Bernie though I would think it would be the same.