No. Happened more than once.
Shady Coaching
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BUSH F'ing Leauge.
Top_Notch
Screwball
- Dec 18, 2014
- 522
- 63
Total WTF. To be 100%, the offensive coach should be telling his kids to stay in the box until the ball goes to the pitcher, but still.
- May 29, 2015
- 3,815
- 113
Here is why that was bush league from the coach ... the only part of the conversation I could make out was, "She was out of the box." This immediately tells me the coach does not actually know the rule and is looking for cheap outs.
Let's dispel several of the myths around this "play" (and I use that term loosely) ...
NOTE: NCAA is slightly different! Stepping out of the box opens the batter up to liability whether their action is intentional or unintentional. Staying in the box protects the batter as long as the interference is NOT intentional. If the catcher initiates the contact, it is nothing and still a live ball.
So what can the batter do? Nothing. Literally nothing. The rule state that the batter cannot make any movement that hinders the catcher, which has led to the current accepted interpretation that a batter who makes NO movement cannot commit interference, even if the batter standing dead still is directly in the catcher's line of fire and the batter could have moved out of the way.
NFHS
Rule 7 Batting
Section 4 The batter is out when ...
ART. 4 . . . The batter interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by leaning over home plate, by stepping out of the batter's box, by making any movement which hinders action at home after the pitch reaches the catcher or the catcher's attempt to play on a runner, or by failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate congested area when there is a throw to home and there is time for the batter to move away.
USA
Rule 7 Batting
Section 6 The batter is out
R. When hindering the catcher from catching or throwing the ball by stepping out of the batter’s box.
S. When actively hindering the catcher while in the batter’s box.
T. When intentionally interfering with a thrown ball, in or out of the batter’s box.
USSSA
Rule 7 Batting
Section 12 A batter shall not interfere with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by leaning over home plate, by stepping out of the batter’s box, by making any other movement which hinders action at home or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner, or by failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate congested area when there is a throw to home and there is time for the batter to move away.
PENALTY: Dead ball; the batter is out
NCAA
11.20 Interference by batter
11.20.2 The batter shall not hinder the catcher or any other fielder from catching or throwing the ball by stepping out of the batter’s box, or intentionally hinder a player (for example, on a steal/pickoff throw or a play at home plate) while standing within the batter’s box.
EFFECT—Delayed dead ball is signaled. The defensive team shall choose either the result of the play or the batter is out and each base runner must return to the last base that, in the umpire’s judgment, was legally touched at the time of the interference. Exceptions: (1) If a base runner is advancing to home plate and there are fewer than two outs, the base runner, instead of the batter, is out. (2) If the catcher is not making a play on a base runner but the batter or umpire interferes with the catcher’s return throw to the pitcher and the base runner, consequently, advances safely, the umpire should suspend play and return each base runner to the base occupied at the time of the accidental interference.
Notes: 1. The batter’s box is not a sanctuary for the batter when a play is being made at home plate.
2. If the catcher or their throw to a base hits the batter or their bat while the batter is in the batter’s box, the ball is live and there is no interference unless the contact is intentional and initiated by the batter.
Now for my soapbox ... I do not like the currently accepted interpretation on "no movement." I like the way the NCAA rule lays this play out.
Let's dispel several of the myths around this "play" (and I use that term loosely) ...
- NO, the catcher does not need to hit the batter for an interference call. All the batter has to do is "hinder ... the catcher's attempt to play on a runner." (NFHS wording)
- NO, technically the catcher doesn't even have to make the throw to draw interference. Unfortunately, because of the way other rules are written (runner's lane interference), some umpires misinterpret this. Nothing in THIS rule says a throw must be made (unlike the RLI rule).
- YES, deliberately throwing at the batter can earn your catcher and you an early end to your day.
- NO, being in the batter's box is not an automatic pass or path to safety for the batter. The batter's box is mentioned in the rule, but if you read the rule you find it really does not matter.
- YES, the interpretations and/or the wording of this rule seem to encourage this type of behavior.
NOTE: NCAA is slightly different! Stepping out of the box opens the batter up to liability whether their action is intentional or unintentional. Staying in the box protects the batter as long as the interference is NOT intentional. If the catcher initiates the contact, it is nothing and still a live ball.
So what can the batter do? Nothing. Literally nothing. The rule state that the batter cannot make any movement that hinders the catcher, which has led to the current accepted interpretation that a batter who makes NO movement cannot commit interference, even if the batter standing dead still is directly in the catcher's line of fire and the batter could have moved out of the way.
NFHS
Rule 7 Batting
Section 4 The batter is out when ...
ART. 4 . . . The batter interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by leaning over home plate, by stepping out of the batter's box, by making any movement which hinders action at home after the pitch reaches the catcher or the catcher's attempt to play on a runner, or by failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate congested area when there is a throw to home and there is time for the batter to move away.
USA
Rule 7 Batting
Section 6 The batter is out
R. When hindering the catcher from catching or throwing the ball by stepping out of the batter’s box.
S. When actively hindering the catcher while in the batter’s box.
T. When intentionally interfering with a thrown ball, in or out of the batter’s box.
USSSA
Rule 7 Batting
Section 12 A batter shall not interfere with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by leaning over home plate, by stepping out of the batter’s box, by making any other movement which hinders action at home or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner, or by failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate congested area when there is a throw to home and there is time for the batter to move away.
PENALTY: Dead ball; the batter is out
NCAA
11.20 Interference by batter
11.20.2 The batter shall not hinder the catcher or any other fielder from catching or throwing the ball by stepping out of the batter’s box, or intentionally hinder a player (for example, on a steal/pickoff throw or a play at home plate) while standing within the batter’s box.
EFFECT—Delayed dead ball is signaled. The defensive team shall choose either the result of the play or the batter is out and each base runner must return to the last base that, in the umpire’s judgment, was legally touched at the time of the interference. Exceptions: (1) If a base runner is advancing to home plate and there are fewer than two outs, the base runner, instead of the batter, is out. (2) If the catcher is not making a play on a base runner but the batter or umpire interferes with the catcher’s return throw to the pitcher and the base runner, consequently, advances safely, the umpire should suspend play and return each base runner to the base occupied at the time of the accidental interference.
Notes: 1. The batter’s box is not a sanctuary for the batter when a play is being made at home plate.
2. If the catcher or their throw to a base hits the batter or their bat while the batter is in the batter’s box, the ball is live and there is no interference unless the contact is intentional and initiated by the batter.
Now for my soapbox ... I do not like the currently accepted interpretation on "no movement." I like the way the NCAA rule lays this play out.
This is a parent Issue too.
I hope not but DD might do this once because coach told her too, it would never happen again though.
I hope not but DD might do this once because coach told her too, it would never happen again though.
Radar grandpa is in contention.
(DD's swing is to but do not want to go there.)
(DD's swing is to but do not want to go there.)
- Jun 20, 2015
- 851
- 93
all arguing about the batter interference, and neither pitcher threw a legal pitch. LOL
And sure you tell catchers to make the normal throw, but this is really insane to purposely, albeit gently, hit batter with no play on runner.
And sure you tell catchers to make the normal throw, but this is really insane to purposely, albeit gently, hit batter with no play on runner.
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What was illegal about the pitches?
- Jun 20, 2015
- 851
- 93
pause with hands together of at least 1 second.
