Batter's Box - Stay In or Step Out?
 

Fastpitch question: With a runner on 3rd, what is the responsibility of a right-handed batter if the catcher throws or attempts to throw a caught pitch to the 3rd baseman in an attempt to pick off the runner on 3rd?

Her responsibility is to not commit an act of interference.

Speaking ASA, even though ASA took "intent" out of most interference rules, they did not take out that the player committing interference must actually commit interference.

In the case of a pick-off throw, the batter is not required to move out of the box to get out of the way, but she is not allowed to commit some act (other than normal batter actions, such as follow-through, etc.) that interferes. (ASA 7-6-Q)

If she does step out of the box, and interferes with the catcher's throw, that IS interference. (ASA 7-6-P)

In our specific case, as soon as the pitch was received, the catcher threw into our batter's back. Our batter did not move from the box. I accused the opposing coach of instructing the catcher to throw into her back and he replied that I was correct. He went on to say that after the pitch previous to this one, our batter stepped back to get the signal from the 3rd base coach and was in the way of his catcher trying to make the throw. So, he told her to throw the ball toward 3rd and into our batter on the next pitch. He said he wanted the easy out for interference. He thought his catcher understood that she was not to throw if our batter was in the batter's box. And he offered no apology to our batter.

If the home plate umpire had concluded that our batter was not breaking any rule by standing in the box, what should the ruling be? Should she be awarded 1st base for taking a throw in the back? If so, what about the runner at 3rd.

In our case, our batter was told that on the previous pitch she was out of the box and probably should have been caleld for interference, so no call was made on the throw into her back.

A ball which deflects off the batter or a runner who is not guilty of interference is live. If it goes out of play it's a ball thrown out of play if it bounces back to the catcher it's nothing. If it gets away your runner can try to steal.
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Several things on this:

1) If the PU was aware of the coach admitting that he instructed F2 to throw at the batter, and F2 did so, both should have been ejected. On the spot. No warnings.

2) There has to be a play for there to be interference. Catchers fake pick-off throws all the time. If the catcher did not throw, I'd have to see something pretty convincing to rule interference.

3) A thrown ball is a thrown ball. And a live ball, as youngump says, unless it goes out of play. If it does go out of play, then runners on base get a 2 base award.

I would have thrown my arm out tossing him so fast. I might not throw the catcher out as fast. Would depend on if I thought she was just following orders or knew what she was doing was really wrong.

If both persons engaged in USC, then both persons go. If F2 "followed the orders" of a coach in conspiring to commit USC, then as Tom has already pointed out, both are gone.

I agree. This also puts more pressure on the coach when the parents find out WHY their little Susie was ejected. Of course, they will deny their little Susie could ever to such a dastardly thing :rolleyes: