Interference

[Andy]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Which reminds me of a play I heard about. The ball was batted toward the SS and because she waited and did not charge/reach etc.; she was called for OBS when the runner bumped into her.

I know you hate this Cecil, but HTBT to see it to rule defineitively.

The umpire would have to judge if F6 is waiting for the ball to come to her or is just standing there trying to be in the runners way before she starts to field the batted ball.

I have seen shortstops stick their glove hand out so that a runner will hit it running past, then F6 fields the ball and wants an interference call.....nope....F6 is not in the act of fielding a batted ball if they can stick their glove out to contact the runner and still have time to field the ball.

I did make a call similar to your situation a few years back.

One out, no runners, F2 drops Strike 3. Ball is rolling down the first baseline, F2 jumps out after the ball, B/R doesn't realize she can run for a second, then takes off for first. F2 then uses her butt to "block" the B/R and get her to change direction, then picks up the ball and throws to first.

I call OBS on F2 and award first base. I felt F2 initiated the contact and was not fielding a batted ball (obviously), but, at the time of the contact, she was not playing the dropped third strike either.