what happened here?

[chapmaja]

Originally Posted by BretMan

Note that MD was commenting on the baseball play...

In FED baseball a "quality throw" is not required. If the batter-runner's presence out of the lane is the cause of the throw being bad (umpire judgment) then interference can be ruled.

FED softball does require a "quality throw" (ie: one that would have a reasonable chance of being caught by the fielder taking the throw).

Key point is in red. In that play, I don't see the poor throw as a result of the batter runner's position, but as simply a poor throw. I am not awarding the defense on that play when the throw was so poor that there was no way to get an out. If it were not for the umpires judgment, of the cause of the poor throw, the catcher could simply see the better- runner out of the running lane and heave a throw to the right fielder, but claim it was because the batter-runner was out of the running lane.

I had a similar play in a youth (7-8 grade) baseball game this year (while being observed), which used HS rules. Bunt was laid down, and the runner was out of the running lane going to first (inside the diamond). The catcher picked up the ball and fired a shot about 15 feet over the first baseman's head. The coach came out arguing the runner out of the lane. I did not accept his argument and he eventually went back. After the game the observer said I was correct because in a reasonable umpires judgment, the bad throw was a bad throw, not one caused buy the position of the runner.