Rule Clarification

At yesterday's friendly my DD caught our first game, and the backup was called on to catch game 2. Our C2 gave up six stolen bases in two innings, so my daughter got called on to get back behind the plate. The other team's Rabbit (who racked up four of the SB in the first two innings) was now back on first base and it was no secret they were gonna send her. My DD got into her secondary, transferred, fired and gunned her out. The other coach then immediately called timeout, and yelled at the girl who was up to bat to "GET OVER HERE!" He then proceeded to berate her saying "ITS YOUR FAULT SHE'S OUT! YOU NEED TO STAY IN THE BOX! DO AS YOU'VE BEEN TAUGHT OR YOU'LL BE SITTING DOWN!" After the game my DD asked me, "Dad, if the girl stays in the box and gets in my way of making a play, is it obstruction?" I replied to her "I don't know, but I'll find out".

So, the question is, what is the rule in regards to a catcher trying to make a play and the batter staying in the batters box?
Thanks in advance!

It is not obs provided she did not intentionally try to interfere with the catcher making the throw if she just stood there (as she should) it's not. I'm assuming the throw was to third? It's the catchers responsibility to clear from the batter

She was a lefty and the throw was to second. Ok, so as long as the batter doesn't blatantly make a motion to obstruct the play, then the honus to move is on the catcher.
Thanks!

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk

It's actually the other way around. Don't step out of the box or you could create interference on a ball in the dirt etc.

The batter can never obstruct. She might interfere, but can't obstruct.

Batter should stay in box. Catcher should avoid batter. Unless the pitch is far inside, the catcher should have no problem clearing the batter in her natural throwing progression.

So what did the batter do (or not do) that the coach was upset with? Did she clear out of the box after the pitch? On a throw to 2B, I don't see what clearing out of the box vs. staying in the box does to help your runner if it is a normal pitch that isn't in the dirt or that pulls the catcher into the area behind the batter.

CPEM said:

So what did the batter do (or not do) that the coach was upset with? Did she clear out of the box after the pitch? On a throw to 2B, I don't see what clearing out of the box vs. staying in the box does to help your runner if it is a normal pitch that isn't in the dirt or that pulls the catcher into the area behind the batter.

Click to expand...

If she was a lefty and it's an inside pitch it affects the catcher if you stay there. Unless the runner is trying to score from 3rd stay in the box. There is nothing good that can happen if you get out of the box, but plenty of bad things can occur. RH batters need to really pay attention when a ball is in the dirt with a runner on 2nd.

canyonjoe said:

If she was a lefty and it's an inside pitch it affects the catcher if you stay there. Unless the runner is trying to score from 3rd stay in the box. There is nothing good that can happen if you get out of the box, but plenty of bad things can occur. RH batters need to really pay attention when a ball is in the dirt with a runner on 2nd.

Click to expand...

Yes, I agree, I think I wrote that in my response. I'm just trying to get a handle on what the coach was upset with in this particular instance. From the OP, it doesn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary. S/He wrote that the catcher set up and threw the runner out at 2B, and didn't indicate that it was an inside pitch or a pitch in the dirt. I don't understand what this coach is upset with IN THIS INSTANCE. There's a whole host of scenarios where staying in the box vs. stepping out can be a good thing or a bad thing. The scenario as described in the OP isn't one of them.

CPEM said:

Yes, I agree, I think I wrote that in my response. I'm just trying to get a handle on what the coach was upset with in this particular instance. From the OP, it doesn't seem like anything was out of the ordinary. S/He wrote that the catcher set up and threw the runner out at 2B, and didn't indicate that it was an inside pitch or a pitch in the dirt. I don't understand what this coach is upset with IN THIS INSTANCE. There's a whole host of scenarios where staying in the box vs. stepping out can be a good thing or a bad thing. The scenario as described in the OP isn't one of them.

Click to expand...

It was an outside pitch.
The opposing coach was furious b/c the batter got out of the box.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk