Interference?

[whatsup]

Right handed batter lays down a bunt a few feet in front of home plate. Catcher charges forward and makes contact with the batter-runner within a step or so of her leaving the batter's box on her way to first. What's the appropriate call?

 

[MTR]

Right handed batter lays down a bunt a few feet in front of home plate. Catcher charges forward and makes contact with the batter-runner within a step or so of her leaving the batter's box on her way to first. What's the appropriate call?

No one can make that determination without seeing the play.

 

[whatsup]

There was nothing remarkable about it. Catcher was quick and went straight for the ball. Runner was a little slow headed right for first base. Didn't appear to be intentional contact but there was a significant collision. Most catchers would have paused momentarily and stepped behind the batter.

 

[Ajaywill]

There was nothing remarkable about it. Catcher was quick and went straight for the ball. Runner was a little slow headed right for first base. Didn't appear to be intentional contact but there was a significant collision. Most catchers would have paused momentarily and stepped behind the batter.

MTR is right.....this is a HTBT (Had to be There) in order to give you an answer. Even then, different umpires may see this differently. This is one of the plays where there can legally be a "train wreck". The catcher is doing her job by attempting to field the ball and the batter-runner is doing her job by running to first base. Both players will need that same space to do their job. As long as one player doesn't "do something" like push the other one out of the way, there may very well be no call to make here.