Blown call - This umpire was way off!

[Sparky Guy]

This comment is absolutely false. The BB is as not a sanctuary or owned by anyone. It is part of the playing field and if the catcher is making a play and the batter/runner acts in a manner which interferes with a play, it is interference.

That's why I said HTBT. What a parent sees and what the umpire sees can be two COMPLETELY different things on the same play.

In the play you offer, that is undoubtedly interference

I think I would change the "undoubtedly" to probably. You're only getting one side of it.

This would be true if the discussion concerned a batter. The discussion concerns a batter-runner.

But when does the batter become a batter-runner on a walk? As soon as the pitch is called? When she leaves the box? Again, I'm assuming a right handed batter and a catcher trying to throw in front of the batter instead of behind. But without being there it is purely conjecture on my part.

 

[Comp]

Batter becomes batter/runner the moment the ball passes the plate and is declared a ball.

 

[MTR]

I think I would change the "undoubtedly" to probably. You're only getting one side of it.

The way you described your play, the batter-runner did not move in a manner consistent with advancing to 1B. The catcher shouldn't have to nor is required to wait for the BR to clear the BB to make a play. It the BR did anything other than head toward 1B after the called "ball", and affects the catcher's play, that is going to be interference. Discarding the bat is irrelevant. She can either drop it or take it with her.

 

[shockcoach]

Without seeing the play it's difficult to say for sure, but it sounds like interference on the B/R to me and the umpire made the correct call.

 

[obbay]

It sounds like she stepped in front of the catcher, maybe with one foot.
the B-R should have been aware of what the baserunner was doing and because she was not in danger of being out could have done one of two things- avoided the play or pretend to be unaware and take her time in front of the catcher, blocking the view and/or throwing lane of the catcher.

sounds like she did the latter, but I wasn't there so my guess doesn't really matter.

I coached with a guy who thought that every interference was black and white, especially when it concerned his DD. Most of the interferences I've seen have been accidental, but in the umpire's opinion they were still interference.

 

[MTR]

It sounds like she stepped in front of the catcher, maybe with one foot.
the B-R should have been aware of what the baserunner was doing and because she was not in danger of being out could have done one of two things- avoided the play or pretend to be unaware and take her time in front of the catcher, blocking the view and/or throwing lane of the catcher.

Now, this is the other side of the coin. The catcher should know that the BR would be moving to her right, therefore she should be looking to throw behind her. There are equal responsibilities in the situation.

I coached with a guy who thought that every interference was black and white, especially when it concerned his DD. Most of the interferences I've seen have been accidental, but in the umpire's opinion they were still interference.

Interference need not be intentional.