Originally Posted by
maddawg
Okay Doc, I'm sure you are all over this, but here goes...
The batter bunts down first base line. Catcher picks up the ball inside fair territory and tries to make the throw to first, but the runner is running inside the line (fair territory) toward first. The first baseman's view is obstructed by the runner and is not able to make the catch.
I know what I was taught as a player, but was amazed at the number of people I asked who didn't know the proper play for the catcher to make or the actual rule that applies. I was especially surprised that the umpire calling the game didn't know the rule.
First off, as a catcher I was told to peg him as hard as I could right in the middle of his back. :icon_wink: A lot of coaches just can't coach their kids to hit someone, but if it's in the rules of the game, then there is no rule against it.
Second, if this was a Little League/Dixie thing, then I'm not really surprised. The Umpires are almost always self taught and tend to ignore lots of rules. When I was calling ball with my dad, we had several guys that had never even PLAYED baseball before come up and accept the challenge of being an Umpire. We set up several training classes for these new guys, but since we couldn't pay them for these classes, only one or two guys would show up. We asked them to come watch us when they didn't have a game themselves, and they didn't. I tried to help them as much as I could, but had some hard-headed guys that only looked for the next paycheck and not what they could learn for huge paychecks down the road. A few years ago, I was getting as much as $60 a game for a 2 hour game. Now I haven't called a game in almost 3 years and I got a call a few weeks ago from a guy that was new to the area. He said that he was taking over S'port LL and that he heard my name from about 6 different people telling him that I was a great young umpire. At that time I was on evening shift so I couldn't help him, but he was offering me $30 a game in 11-12 year old baseball to come and work for him. If you take the time and learn how to do it, you can make some good money.
Ok, on to the ruling:6.05
A batter is out when --
(i) After hitting or bunting a foul ball, he intentionally deflects the course of the ball in any manner while running to first base. The ball is dead and no runners may advance;
(k) In running the last half of the distance from home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in which case the ball is dead; except that he may run outside (to the right of) the threefoot line or inside (to the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder attempting to field a batted ball;
Rule 6.05(k) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter- runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.
Originally Posted by
TulsaDawg
The runner should be out.
Another rules question. Man on first with less than 2 outs. A ground ball is hit to short and the double play is attempted. Does the runner going to second have to slide? If he does not slide and the throw from second to first hits the runner, is the runner and the batter out?
Or, is just the runner out and the batter gets first base?
Once again, what league is this?? In the MLB he must be able to reach the bag. They are also smart enough to slide, because if they go in standing, they take the chance of getting a ball in the face. In LL, it never is stated that your MUST slide (unless it's a local rule), but does state that you must aviod contact.
You cannot do anything to anyone to intentionally disrupt the play beyond taking your base. They get away with some of it because you are not TECHnically out until the Umpire makes the signal or verbally calls you out, so alot of the continuing into the bag is forgiven for this reason.Rule 7.09
It is interference by a batter or a runner when --
(d) Any batter or runner who has just been put out hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate;
Rule 7.09(d) Comment: If the batter or a runner continues to advance after he has been put out, he shall not by that act alone be considered as confusing, hindering or impeding the fielders.
(e) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner.
(f) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a batter-runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball, with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead; the umpire shall call the batter-runner out for interference and shall also call out the runner who had advanced closest to the home plate regardless where the double play might have been possible. In no event shall bases be run because of such interference.
Originally Posted by
maddawg
I'll take a stab...Interesting
Does the runner have to slide? I don't think he has to slide, but he can't make an attempt to obstruct the throw to 1st. I'm pretty sure that he has to make an attempt to avoid the throw. Now the runner who was already out was called for interference. I'm guessing that the batter would be called out due to the interference.
BTW, they never call this one in MLB. The slide area in MLB is closer to 8ft. than 6ft..
You got part of it right and part of it not. If the Umpire has already signalled a runner out and he gets called for Interference, then the Batter takes the punishment and is called out on the runners expense.
Originally Posted by
TulsaDawg
You're interpretation is what I have always thought, too. The reason I bring it up is that a high school umpire once told me the batter is not out if the throw from second to first hits the runner.
TECHnically, he's correct, however if he is out and does something to deliberatly interfere, then the batter should be called out.
Originally Posted by
maddawg
It is a judgement call for the umpire to make. I was taught as a catcher to try to hit the runner with the ball to remove any doubt as to the runner actually interfering. If the runner was in fair territory then they would be out. Otherwise if they are on the line or inside the three foot box (that Haughtondawg described) then they would be safe.
In the case I described the umpire should have recognized that the runner was interfering and in fair territory (not inside the three ft area), but had the catcher hit the runner with the ball then there would not have been a question. Tulsa you are partially correct, except that any umpire worth his salt should always be ready to make this call in bunting situations and the "judgement" would not be so hard to arrive at.
Umpiring is pretty hard thing to do and sometimes there are several things that you're suppose to be paying attention to all at one time. Was there a runner coming home as well?? If someone is coming home and the pitcher is running towards the plate, then you have to watch the ball, the pitcher, and the runner. It can be pretty tricky if you are out of position. If there wasn't another runner that he was responsible for, then he should have been watching this and/or at least discussed it with the base umpire to see what he saw.