Tcow #2

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

With that said, I find it hard to say that when a player is "run into hard" that the contact is not intentional.

If there's no intent to interfere, this could happen quite easily. Two opposing players moving as fast as they can trying to get to nearly the same spot - not hard to imagine at all.

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

If there's no intent to interfere, this could happen quite easily. Two opposing players moving as fast as they can trying to get to nearly the same spot - not hard to imagine at all.

When I think "run into hard" I think of contact initiated by one person against another. I completely understand how a hard collision could occur in a situation like this, BUT then you do run into the question of illegal contact because in the OP the defensive player does have possession of the ball at the time contact is made.

I personally would have to see the entire play to make a decision on how to call it.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

illegal contact because in the OP the defensive player does have possession of the ball at the time contact is made.

Kind of afraid to ask... but here goes:

We're talking about a play without intent... so what exactly are you talking about here with "illegal contact because the defensive player has possession of the ball"???

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

...BUT then you do run into the question of illegal contact because in the OP the defensive player does have possession of the ball at the time contact is made.

You're muddying the waters when it comes to contact between a runner and a fielder who has possession of the ball.

We've already covered that, since this was a deflected batted ball, ASA 8.7.J.4 applies when it comes to interference. And for that to happen, the runner must show clear intent that she meant to interfere.

ASA 8.7.Q and RS 13 talk about crashes. For that to happen, a fielder has to have possession of the ball and be waiting to apply a tag on the runner. As described, the runner ran into the fielder almost simultaneously when the fielder fielded the ball. So this rule doesn't apply. In fact, the play almost sounds more like what is covered by RS 13G, when a runner, fielder, and ball arrive almost at the same time, which is considered incidental contact.

So I'm at a loss when you feel that it is illegal for a runner to run into a fielder who just gains possession of the ball. There's nothing illegal about it in this particular play.