Batter interference?

[mmeece]

This argument came up at a umpire zoom meeting last night. Quite a few fellow blues says the batter has to make an attempt to get out of the way, I still stay if the batter does nothing out of ordinary, just recovering from a swing or standing there, there is no interference on a throw to third.

You're right, they are wrong based on every rule set I've seen. In fact, I've seen more interference when girls were trying to get out of the way than when they just stayed put.

 

[radness]

Even when the umpire is wrong, they are right.

 

[jackfrost]

did anyone pull out a rule book to support their position?

 

[Comp]

Nothing says they must attempt to get out of the way for anything other than a play at the plate. In fact, if they do move and get in the way, now they have committed interference.

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[Westwind]

I'd be giving you a warning against that. If batter is not moving and in the box, you have to go around her. If batter is moving or actually interferes, its on me (the umpire) to apply the interference penalty. But if she is stationary and in the box, I'd be talking to you if you push her out of the way and I'd be talking with your coach to bring in a new catcher if it happens again. Thats exactly how it played out a few years back in a game i umpired.

The minute I see this I will fake bunt and steal every time I have a runner on second with a right handed batter in the box.

Of course, I’m usually doing this anyway.

This argument came up at a umpire zoom meeting last night. Quite a few fellow blues says the batter has to make an attempt to get out of the way, I still stay if the batter does nothing out of ordinary, just recovering from a swing or standing there, there is no interference on a throw to third.

I always get a kick out of “regional rules” where umpires come up with an imaginary rule and collectively decide it’s true.

What Rad explains she does is pretty much exactly what I think should happen to defend this. It sounds like the catcher shoves the hitter out of the way but in reality it’s more like the catcher pushes her glove hand arm rigid and she kind of slides by the hitter as she throws. The contact is minimal and glancing. If the hitter stays in the box like she is supposed to, this is the only thing the catcher can do (except blast the hitter with the ball, which is dumb.)

 

[LHUtility]

Pop up, no runners on, the batter then looks up moving out of the box and can’t find the ball, neither can the catcher. Lefty batter is now about 5-6’ towards first base, feet outside the line with head back down waiting for catcher to get the ball when the catcher starts running toward her. Kid doesn’t see the catcher coming until last second and braces for impact, catcher tries to make the play over same height batters head and missed the catch. Interference?

 

[jackfrost]

Pop up, no runners on, the batter then looks up moving out of the box and can’t find the ball, neither can the catcher. Lefty batter is now about 5-6’ towards first base, feet outside the line with head back down waiting for catcher to get the ball when the catcher starts running toward her. Kid doesn’t see the catcher coming until last second and braces for impact, catcher tries to make the play over same height batters head and missed the catch. Interference?

Of course. Interference. Interferred with defenders ability to make a play on a batted ball.

 

[LHUtility]

Of course. Interference. Interferred with defenders ability to make a play on a batted ball.

So I guess I’ll keep that in my back pocket of to do’s teaching that no matter where you are, you might still interfere. Lol Possibly, No place is safe and the batter needs to look up and give the catcher help in tracking the ball one could argue.

DD is a catcher and I still don’t see this like a base runner interference call. It wouldn’t have even occurred to me it’s anything other than bad luck unless the batter was looking up and trying to get in the way or taking directions from …which is humorous imagining that. Seems desperate. And people got together to come up with this rule and make it “official”….

At least it’s rare. It’s not baseball but I wonder if obvious intent to avoid being in the way holds more weight there.

So if it’s a pop up, is the box safe to stay in?

 

[EdLovrich]

No place is safe and the batter needs to look up and give the catcher help in tracking the ball one could argue.

Ummmm, no. Watch the catcher and stay the heck out of the way....or better yet, run it out, if the C is close enough to the line for you to interfere then that pop up could always end up a fair ball. Why is the batter watching the ball at all?

 

[newnin]

Is this the same in USA rule set?