contact at the plate - must slide?

[fastpitch]

Let's say the catcher has the ball and is up the line and when she reaches to tag the runner there is contact and the ball falls out. I rule incidental contact and call the runner safe. The only contact was between runner's shoulder where the catcher reached out to tag her. If the runner runs into the catcher I call interference, but if a tag is being made and the only contact results from the tag I do not see obstruction or interference, just a dropped ball.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by fastpitch

Let's say the catcher has the ball and is up the line and when she reaches to tag the runner there is contact and the ball falls out. I rule incidental contact and call the runner safe. The only contact was between runner's shoulder where the catcher reached out to tag her. If the runner runs into the catcher I call interference, but if a tag is being made and the only contact results from the tag I do not see obstruction or interference, just a dropped ball.

You got it.

[BuggBob]

Sometimes a newer umpire can be intimidated into letting a higher ranking umpire make the wrong call, which is evident in this case. I think I have a lead on the BU's identity. He is that much hated "the Other Umpire."

[greymule]

ASA never had "about to receive" in its crash rule

Until recently, ASA had "about to receive" in a POE and "about to catch a thrown ball" in the actual crash rule. The rather odd definition was "the ball is between the fielder and the runner."

the word crash simply means contact

This interpretation is new to me.