Blocked ball vs. Offensive Intereference

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Jul 22, 2015
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Could one of the experienced umpires here explain how to differentiate between the two? For example, if the ball hits an on-deck batter or coach outside of the dugout what would influence or decide which is called.
 
Aug 25, 2019
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Well, if a coach or a on deck batter gets hit with a ground ball or even a line drive a player couldn't make a play on, it would be dead ball-foul. (If they are in foul territory) The only way coaches or on deck interferes if a fielder is trying to catch a pop-up and they get in the way, that would be an out on batter.
 
Jul 22, 2015
851
93
Well, if a coach or a on deck batter gets hit with a ground ball or even a line drive a player couldn't make a play on, it would be dead ball-foul. (If they are in foul territory) The only way coaches or on deck interferes if a fielder is trying to catch a pop-up and they get in the way, that would be an out on batter.
Should have specified I was asking about a thrown ball.
 
Aug 25, 2019
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USSSA RULES:

Dead Ball:
G. A pitch or any other thrown ball 1. Is touched by a spectator. 2. Is touched by nonparticipating team personnel. 3. Goes into a stand or player’s bench (even if it rebounds to the field). 4. Goes over or through or wedges in the field fence. 5. Lodges in an Umpire’s or catcher’s equipment or touches loose equipment. The coach and on deck batter would be nonparticipating team personnel.

Sec 6. When the ball becomes dead: A. No action by the defense during that time can cause a player to be put out, except a proper dead-ball appeal. B. A runner may not advance, nor return to a base that was not touched or that the runner was not in contact with on a caught fly ball during a live ball if the runner had advanced to or beyond a succeeding base. C. Any runner may advance when awarded a base or bases for an act, which occurred before the ball became dead. All awarded bases must be touched.

On-deck Batter Inference: On-deck batters may be charged with interference if they  Interfere with a throw and a possible tag on a runner, EFFECT: Dead ball; runner closest to home out; all others return to last base touched  Interfere a fielder’s opportunity to make an out on a fly ball. EFFECT: Dead ball; batter-runner out; all others return to last base touched.

Coach’s interference: Coach’s interference occurs when a base coach  Interferes with a fielder who is playing a foul ball in flight or making an initial play on a fair ball EFFECT: Dead ball; batter-runner out; all others return to last base touched  Runs toward home and draws a throw EFFECT: Dead ball; runner closest to home out; all others return to last base touched  Interferes with a fielder attempting to catch or throw a ball or make a play on a runner. EFFECT: Dead ball; runner closest to home out; all others return to last base touched While in the coach’s box, the base coach must make a reasonable effort to avoid a fielder’s attempted play.

Basically, if the coach or on deck batter unintentionally gets hit with a wild thrown ball, the ball is dead and runners return to last base touched. IF a play could be made on a runner and they interfere, the closest runner to home is out.
 
Aug 1, 2019
195
43
South Carolina
First off, the only two options here regarding base coaches and on-deck batters are interference, or no violation and the ball remains live.

Base coaches and on-deck batters are allowed to be on the field of play. They are not considered "offensive team personnel" or "someone not engaged in the game" which would be those who would cause a throw to become blocked. They are essentially part of the field.

Inevitably, base coaches and on-deck batters are going to get hit by a thrown ball. Most often, it's nothing unless they do something intentional to interfere. If a ball is overthrown and hits the base coach or on-deck batter because they cannot react fast enough to get out of the way, the ball remains live.

For a base coach or on-deck batter to interfere, they must do something with intent to hinder play. If they do but there was no chance for the defense to actually retire a runner, then we kill play and put runners back to where they were when the ball was touched. But if there was a possible play in the process, then the runner closest to home is out.

As for offensive team personnel who should otherwise be in the dugout, then, yes, you do have either a blocked ball or interference, again, depending on whether or not the defense had a legit play that was hindered by their action. An overthrown ball that hits an offensive coach sitting on the bucket outside the dugout would be an example of a blocked ball, and the runners would return to their bases. But if they hindered the defense (e.g., that bucket coach kicks the ball away from a fielder who is about to pick up the ball to make a play), that would be interference.

Hope this helps.
 

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