Another Interference Question

[Hoosier_Dave]

Situation 1: If the ball, defense, and runner all get there at the same time, no interference. If interference, run counts unless the interference happens before run scores and 2 outs. Timing play.

Situation 2: if F4 is in a position to field ball in the base line, then runner has an obligation to alter path to avoid collision or hitting the ball about to be fielded. If a runner hits a player who has a play at the ball, runner is out. So the fielder stopping in the base line is perfectly legal, and if the runner hits the fielder, the runner is out. If the umpire thought, she'd have a double play, the umpire can call runner and BR out. May not seem fair, but that's the way I understand the rule.

[HawkeyeCubP]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_Dave

Situation 1: If the ball, defense, and runner all get there at the same time, no interference.

Why not?.........................

[Hoosier_Dave]

Originally Posted by HawkeyeCubP

Why not?.........................

because..........

POE #14E "If the ball, runner, and the defensive player all arrive at the same time and contact is made, the umpire should not invoke the collision rule (interference) or obstruction. This is merely incidental contact."

[HawkeyeCubP]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_Dave

because..........

POE #14E "If the ball, runner, and the defensive player all arrive at the same time and contact is made, the umpire should not invoke the collision rule (interference) or obstruction. This is merely incidental contact."

That's listed as POE 14 F in my book, and it's referring to INT vs. OBS vs. Crashing into a Fielder with the ball - i.e. most commonly at a base, i.e. a fielder receiving a thrown ball.

8.7.J.1 "The runner is out when the runner interferes with a fielder attempting to field a batted fair ball or a foul fly ball,..." - there is no exception that states anything to the effect of the interference being determinant upon when the ball arrives at the fielder or vice versa.

By what you've just said, a runner advancing between bases who knocks over a fielder who has just touched a batted ground ball with his/her glove is not guilty of runner INT.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_Dave

because..........

POE #14E "If the ball, runner, and the defensive player all arrive at the same time and contact is made, the umpire should not invoke the collision rule (interference) or obstruction. This is merely incidental contact."

I think that POE is about a play on a runner, not a batted ball attempt.

As above, "If the fielder stops in the basepath to draw INT, is that fielder still "fielding a batted ball"?" Includes intentionally backing up into the runner's path.

[Hoosier_Dave]

I think Hawkeye's right. Rereading, POE 14 is regarding a play on a runner and not a batted ball. Thanks Hawk!

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_Dave

because..........

POE #14E "If the ball, runner, and the defensive player all arrive at the same time and contact is made, the umpire should not invoke the collision rule (interference) or obstruction. This is merely incidental contact."

It's important to read the POE's. It's 10 times as important to apply them to the cases they are meant to apply to... read the REST of this POE. This POE is clearly about a fielder receiving a thrown ball.

The runners have responsibility to avoid any fielder trying to field a ball. Failure to do so is interference - dead ball - and an out. However, a fielder who stops trying to field a ball in order to disrupt a runner is no longer fielding a ball - and is now guilty of obstruction instead, with all the penalties that entails.

Also note - you say that if the umpire DID call this interference, you'd still score the runner. How are you going to justify scoring this runner, who was out between 2nd and 3rd?

[Hoosier_Dave]

OK. I was wrong there too. Actually, I misread the thread. I thought that there was a runner on 3B who scored before an interference call.