Another INT/OBS Question

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by AtlUmpSteve

Tom, think about the sterotypical bounding ball up the middle with a runner on 2nd. EVERY defensive coach believes F6 can chase that ball that you know she cannot actually field; and you now want to call the occasional collision or other interaction interference because she is only "attempting" to field, and has a better chance than anyone else that also can't make a play?

Sorry, but if she cannot field the ball to make a play, she isn't protected; because isn't "fielding a batted ball". That's obstruction.

And, what is that bounding ball called? A base hit? And who is the fielder who would be protected (theoretically, since it would be an odd base path...)? One of the outfielders, most likely.

There is no requirement that the fielder be able to make a play (definition: attempt to retire a runner) to be protected from being interfered with; only that she has a chance to field the ball.

Running toward a base hit up the middle is not "attempting to field" in a rules sense. However, the OP only said the fielder could not have caught the ball with "ordinary effort", which is not the standard, but if it was even a question that she could have caught the ball with extraordinary effort, it seems likely she could have at least fielded the ball... maybe not... I wasn't there.

Numerous others have been talking about whether she could make a play, also not the standard. The question should be, could she have fielded the ball? If so, and if she was in the best position of the other defenders, then she is protected and the call is interference.