Ball Strikes 1st Base Coach

[IamMatt]

I am just trying to clarify if the rule means what it says (that coach interference with a batted or thrown ball must be intentional for the runner to be out, but that any coach interference with a play on a runner results in the runner being out) or if it was intended to mean that intentional coach interference with a batted or thrown ball or a play on the runner results in the runner being called out but unintentional interference in any of those cases does not.

My example was not very good, so I will simply stick with the question.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by IamMatt

I am just trying to clarify if the rule means what it says (that coach interference with a batted or thrown ball must be intentional for the runner to be out, but that any coach interference with a play on a runner results in the runner being out) or if it was intended to mean that intentional coach interference with a batted or thrown ball or a play on the runner results in the runner being called out but unintentional interference in any of those cases does not.

Okay, let's break it down:

First point

"When a coach intentionally interferes with a batted or thrown ball",

"OR"

Second point

"interferes with the defensive team's opportunity to make a play on another runner".

Clarification

"A batted or thrown ball that unintentionally hits a base coach is not considered interference".

I don't see any glaring grammatical shortcomings and the punctuation pretty much breaks the first sentence down to two distinctive independent scenarios connected by the disjunction "or".

[wadeintothem]

Ah, now I understand!


If you intentionally hit a coach with a ball, thats interference.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Ah, now I understand!


If you intentionally hit a coach with a ball, thats interference.

Actually, I would not put that by some people to coach. "Just try to hit the coach with the ball" could become a defensive strategy if the rule did not require intent.

Don't think that is so far fetched as we all know there are coaches who tell their catchers to just nail the BR in the back and look for the call.