What should happen?

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by softball_junky

I had a play this weekend, fly ball to right field, caught. Runner on 3b tags and comes home. BR running to 1b sees catch and turns across infield to 3b dugout. Throw back in to F3 who turns to throw home but stops. BR is walking between F3 and home. Coach asks for INT but I told him the fielder had to at least make a throw. He asked if his fielder had to hit the girl in the back? I said no sir, if she had thrown the ball over everyones head I could have called INT but she had to make a throw of some kind. Do you think the no call was correct?

Yes, the no call was correct, but your explanation was not completely right. Yes, she does have to make a throw or attempt to throw - but throwing the ball over everyones' heads is just a bad throw and is not interference. Had the fielder moved and then thrown, ok I can get interference there.

[BCCanuck]

Originally Posted by Steve M

Yes, the no call was correct, but your explanation was not completely right. Yes, she does have to make a throw or attempt to throw - but throwing the ball over everyones' heads is just a bad throw and is not interference. Had the fielder moved and then thrown, ok I can get interference there.

The OP says " F3 turns to throw,but stops" ( on a play like this I have an image of a quick turn, arm cocked, ready to throw - untill she sees the retired B-R in the way). Wouldn't you call that an attempt to throw?

[Steve M]

Originally Posted by BCCanuck

The OP says " F3 turns to throw,but stops" ( on a play like this I have an image of a quick turn, arm cocked, ready to throw - untill she sees the retired B-R in the way). Wouldn't you call that an attempt to throw?

BCC - I'm not sure what exactly I read, but I missed completely that this was the retired B-R. Yeah, that's an attempt and the retired player has zero reason to be there.

[debeau]

Was the fielder impeded confused or interfered with in making the throw ?
If yes the we have interference .
Personally I would have interference .

[Dakota]

I'm not giving any benefit of the doubt to a retired BR wandering across the infield during a live ball play. Reads like interference to me, R1 out.

[Andy]

While I agree that the retired BR had no business being where she was, haven't we said many times here that in order to call interference, there has to be a play that was interfered with?

We cannot determine the reason that F3 did not complete the throw...ie, how close was R1 to home?, did the ball slip in F3s hand, etc.

This play is HTBT at best to see the exact positions of F3, the retired BR, and R1.

I'm just throwing this out for further discussion...I believe that I could justify a call or no-call either way.

[Dakota]

You're right, of course.

But if I (as PU) am set anticipating a close play as the cutoff player turns to throw home, and all of a sudden the BR walks into the middle of things, the cutoff holds up with that "get out of my way" look, and no throw comes... I'm probably calling interference.