| rlccal | -- 03-21-2005 @ 9:22 PM |
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1) High School game. R2 on 2nd , 1 out. R2 going on pitch. B1 (right handed) swings at pitch and loses balance, but remains in the batter's box. F2's throw to get R2 at third hits B1's helmet. What should the call be? 2) Is weak interference only when there is no play involved? Thanks, Rick
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| greybeard | -- 03-22-2005 @ 10:27 AM |
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This is a "you had to be there." The batter can't just disappear on that play. He has a right to stay in the box, he just can't make any move that hinders the catcher. I'm trying to envision how the catcher hit him in the helmet with the ball. Did the batter lose his balance and fall back towards the catcher? If so, that may have been interference, intentional or not. I've seen a lot of catchers who create contact by leaning into the batter on the throw to try and draw interference. A lot like a basketball player leaning in while shooting to try and draw a foul. If the batter is just standing there minding his own business and the catcher makes the contact, it's nothing but a poor choice on the part of the catcher. I won't call interference on that.
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| rlccal | -- 03-22-2005 @ 5:47 PM |
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F2 stood and was attempting to throw inside of 3rd baseline while B1 was regaining his balance. B1's actions were clearly not intentional, but they were a bit out of the ordinary, such that I don't believe F2 could have anticipated B1's movement. The PU allowed the play to stand (R2 ended up on 3rd, no interference, no dead ball). Is there anytime when there is a play and the ball is called dead, runner's can't advance, without an interference called (resulting in an out)??? Is that weak interference or can weak interference only be called when there is no play?
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| greybeard | -- 03-23-2005 @ 8:56 AM |
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I don't subscribe to a "weak interference" call as it is not part of the rules. It's either interference (dead ball, batter is out, runners return), or it's not interference, in which case the ball is live and you play on. The runners advance at their own peril. That sounds like the case in your situation in which the umpire did not call interference. Delaware Blue has the Jaksa Roder interpretation book and perhaps he could shed more light on this subject.
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| DelawareBlue | -- 03-23-2005 @ 9:56 AM |
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Since this was a high school game, I'll assume it was played under FED rules. Jaksa/Roder is based on OBR, so the FED rulebook and casebook are more appropriate. "Weak interference" or "interference without a play" is based on interpretations of pro rules. FED, to my knowledge, does not recognize weak interference. In FED, it's either interference or it's not. So there is no way to just kill the play and send the runner back to second base. The batter either interfered or he didn't so he's either out or the ball is live and you play on. The FED rule states: 7-3-5 A batter shall not interfere with the catcher's fielding or throwing by (a) leaning over home plate; (b) stepping out of the box; (c) making any other movement which hinders action at home plate or the catcher's attempt to play on a runner... According to the FED casebook 7.3.5 Situation E, (The batter) is entitled to his position in the batter’s box and is not subject to being penalized for interference unless he moves or re-establishes his position after F2 has received the pitch, which then prevents F2 from attempting to play on a runner. Failing to move so F2 can make a throw is not batterer interference. (Those are from the 2004 rulebook and casebook. My 2005 rulebook and casebook are in the car and it's raining.) From the description, it sounds as though the umpire judged the batter remained within the batter's box and that his actions were not out of the ordinary or sufficient enough to be classified as interference. Others may argue that he re-established his position and prevented F2 from playing on the runner. This is a "had to be there" play and a judgment call. This message was edited by DelawareBlue on 3-23-05 @ 10:01 AM
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