Is this interference?

[Greenmonsters]

NoVA - As suggested by Brett and Ajay (2 experienced and respected DFP-contributing umpires BTW), you are making this far more complicated than it should be! In your hypothetical with the catcher the same criteria hold, its not interference if the firstbaseman isn't prevented from making the catch and the batter/runner isn't hit by the thrown ball outside of the running lane.

 

[BretMan]

Had the bunt dropped right in front of the plate would your answer be different? Does the catcher need to pop-up and drill the B/R in the back of the head to demonstrate that she doesn't have "a bad arm" but is being impeded by the B/R? If not, why is it different for the play in the OP?

No, same answer.

What the catcher (or any other fielder making the throw to first base) is required to do is make a "quality throw". That is, it must be a throw that is online with the fielder receiving it and would have a reasonable chance of retiring the runner.

If it hits the runner, then it hits the runner. Runners get hit by thrown balls at every other base on the field. That's why they wear helmets.

A few sample plays:

- Bunt in front of plate. Batter-runner is out of the running lane. Catcher decides not to make a throw because she might hit the runner (or for any other reason).

This is NOT interference. For it to be interference, there must be a throw.

- Bunt in front of plate. Batter-runner is out of the running lane. Catcher makes a throw, but alters her throw because of the runner's presence. The ball sails high over first base and into right field.

This is NOT interference. The throw was not a quality throw, one capable of being caught by the fielder at first base, and the throw would not retire the runner.

- Bunt in front of plate. Batter-runner is out of the running lane. Catcher sees this and wants to draw an interference call, so she aims the ball away from the base and away from the fielder receiving the throw, but at the runner. Ball hits runner.

This is NOT interference. If the throw was directed away from the base, such that it was away from the fielder receiving it and away from the base, then it was not a quality throw capable of retiring the runner. In addition, if this hit is flagrant, the catcher could be ejected.

If this wasn't the rule, then all a catcher would have to do would be purposely make a bad throw anytime she saw a runner out of the lane. Free out!

By the way...in the video the third baseman releases the throw when the runner is right at the beginning of the running lane. That is 30 feet away from the base! I'd have a hard time saying that the runner's position had any effect on F5 making the throw.

 

[NoVA Softball]

@BretMan -- thanks for your last post. It clears up a lot.

One final "what if" if you don't mind... In bunt at the plate and the B/R out of the lane again (what is it with these batters?), the catcher throws a rainbow over the runner, which gets there a split second too late. Like the others, not interference? (i.e. not a quality throw capable of getting the out)

If so, is the proper coaching to have the catcher make the throw directly to F3 on the base essentially ignoring where the B/R is or isn't (i.e. straight through the B/R if she's out of position). If the throw drills the runner because she's not where she's supposed to be, then it'll probably hurt but she'll be called out and probably won't that mistake again.

Thanks again.

 

[Greenmonsters]

@BretMan -- thanks for your last post. It clears up a lot.

One final "what if" if you don't mind... In bunt at the plate and the B/R out of the lane again (what is it with these batters?), the catcher throws a rainbow over the runner, which gets there a split second too late. Like the others, not interference? (i.e. not a quality throw capable of getting the out)

If so, is the proper coaching to have the catcher make the throw directly to F3 on the base essentially ignoring where the B/R is or isn't (i.e. straight through the B/R if she's out of position). If the throw drills the runner because she's not where she's supposed to be, then it'll probably hurt but she'll be called out and probably won't that mistake again.

Thanks again.

Keep the coaching simple. Instruct your catchers always clear the running lane to throw to F3 (and ignore the runner). Trust that good umpires will make the right call if the batter/runner gets hit by a throw. And hope that you have good umpires.

 

[MTR]

The runner did not use the runners lane that is clearly marked on the field. The runner was 3'+ inside foul line the entire way down the baseline till she had to veer to the right to be able to step on the base.

The umpire got the call right.

That info is irrelevant to the rule. The runner can run anywhere s/he pleases without violating any rule. It is INT only if she interferes with the defender attempting to receive the ball at 1B and was not in the lane at that time.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

You ask and answer two questions that don't seem to me to matter. The rule doesn't require "prevent the fielder from making a catch" it requires "hinder or impede from making a play" -- a very different standard. Of course it's possible to be interfered with and still make a throw and a catch -- just maybe a split second slower or a little off target.

A "Play" is an opportunity to make an out - if an out is made, there is no reason to call INT (i.e. no effect). INT and OBS calls merely remedy the results of a violation to what they would have been if there hadn't been a violation. INT calls result in an out and OBS calls place the runner(s) where they would have reached.

 

[Strike2]

A "Play" is an opportunity to make an out - if an out is made, there is no reason to call INT (i.e. no effect). INT and OBS calls merely remedy the results of a violation to what they would have been if there hadn't been a violation. INT calls result in an out and OBS calls place the runner(s) where they would have reached.

The difference is that Interference is an immediate "dead ball" call that stops play. It isn't dependent on whether the "out" was made or not. When the umpire sees it, the rule is immediately applied. Obstruction is a "delayed dead ball" can be made moot by the outcome of the play, like the runner safely making the base, or can be overridden by interference, like crashing into a defender trying to make a tag.

 

[BuckeyeGuy]

NFHS 8-2-5: "The B/R is out if she...runs outside the 3 foot line and, in the judgement of the umpire, interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base (there must be a throw)..." No mention of when it needs to happen. Seems to me that if the B/R "impedes, hinders, or confuses" by running outside (or inside, I assume) the 3 foot line, as long as there's a throw at some point in the play it's INT? Running that far inside the base path would be distracting at least, and could be interpreted as confusing IMO.

Honestly, no clue if it's technically correct - but I like the call lol!

 

[Dan-O]

Sec 18.Any runner is out when the runner:
A. Runs more than three feet away from the base path to avoid being tagged, or to hinder a fielder while the runner is advancing or returning to a base. EXCEPTION: This is not an infraction if a fielder, attempting to field a batted ball, is in the runner’s proper path and if the runner runs behind the fielder to avoid interfering. NOTE: When a play is being made on a runner or batter-runner, the runner establishes their base path as directly between the runner’s position and the base toward which the runner is moving.

Sec 17.
E. When they run outside the three-foot running lane (last half of the distance from home plate to first base) while the ball is being fielded or thrown to first base.

Seems to me, the runner took the base path (the path directly between the runner's position and first base), and was never outside the running lane, as it only starts half-way to first base.

 

[BretMan]

Seems to me, the runner took the base path (the path directly between the runner's position and first base), and was never outside the running lane, as it only starts half-way to first base.

The three foot running lane is entirely in foul ground. It's defined by the white chalk line you see in the video that is parallel to the foul line, to the right side of it.

The base path rule you quoted is something else and doesn't apply here.