ASA Double Base - Purpose of 8.2.M.4.?

[greymule]

Yes, that's the play. Here's the question:

No outs, R1 on 3B, R2 on 2B, R3 on 1B, B4 pops up near the 1B line and runs into F3 knocking the ball loose to prevent a double play. R1 has touched home plate before the collision.

a. Dead ball, B4 is out, R1, R2, and R3 must return to the base they had at the time of the pitch.
b. Dead ball, B4 is out, R2 is out, R3 is returned to 1B, R1 scores.
c. Dead ball, B4 is out, R1 is out, R2 is returned to 2B and R3 is returned to 1B.
d. Dead ball, B4 is out, R1 scores; R2 and R3 advance at their own risk.

The correct answer is "b".

If I were in charge of ASA rules, I would add to the rule book something on the order of what's in the NCAA and OBR books:

1) If the BR commits interference before reaching 1B, all runners return TOP, and
2) In no cases shall bases be run, etc.

And, for willful and deliberate interference with fly balls, I would also define "runner closest to home plate" to be R3 (as OBR does), so that the answer would be "c". (And for unintentional, nonwillful, nondeliberate interference, the answer would be "a".)

If this had not been a test question and someone had posed the question to me, I would have said that as the umpire I would not let the offense benefit by violating the rules.

Since "b" is the correct answer, it makes me wonder how to call this one:

Tie score, bottom 7th, 1 out. Abel on 3B. Baker hits a high pop in front of the plate. Abel runs home and scores. As F2 is about to make the catch, Baker tackles F2 to prevent the catch.

There's another play that should be prevented:

Abel on 3B, Baker on 2B, Charles on 1B, 1 out. Daniels, a heavy and slow slugger, hits a hard one-hopper to F6 near 2B and starts slogging toward 1B. Abel scoots home as F6, seeing an easy double play, steps on 2B and takes a moment to set himself for the easy out at 1B on the slow Daniels. However, though the throw from F6 is in plenty of time at 1B, Charles sticks out his arm and knocks the ball away.

By rule, Baker (as the runner closest to home) is out to end the inning, but Abel's run scores. (Remember that Baker's out is not a force out, since Charles has been put out.) Again, this play can't happen in the other codes I'm familiar with. I would rewrite the rule so that the defense gets the out where the play was (Daniels at 1B).