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Here's a ruling that was sent to me recently by an authoritative source (no names mentioned to protect...well, probably me). Thoughts?

Good stuff right here ....... Your browser does not support iframes.

embed feature not available ........... thoughts? http://m.mlb.com/video/v352918683/?query=interference I think this is why Mattingly is arguing because of the day or so prior ....... Your browser does not support iframes.

OBR. No runners. Before the pitch, F8 yells to the dugout that he was paged and has to leave immediately, and begins running off the field. The plate umpire doesn’t realize this, and time is neither requested nor granted. Batter hits a ground ball to F6, who overthrows 1B before the batter runner reaches 1B. The ball rolls toward the 1B dugout, and comes to rest in live ball territory. The batter runner heads for 2B. A defensive substitute planning to take over at centerfield exits the dugout. (Yes, of course they cannot substitute while the ball is live.) He does not realize the live ball is there, and he discards a different ball that he had been carrying, a few feet away from the live ball. The sub intentionally dropped the ball, but not with intent to confuse. F3 runs over and picks up the wrong ball and throws to 2B for a play on the batter runner. In the umpire’s judgement, if the wrong ball not been there and F3 played the correct ball, the batter runner would have been (a) safe at 2B, or (b) out at 2B. Call it! This is similar to intentional interference by an authorized person, in which case the umpire imposes whatever would have happened without the interference--but the sub wasn't authorized to be out of the dugout, and he didn't touch the live ball.

typical, run down OBS....always cool to see ..... Your browser does not support iframes.

State Utrip tournament, 13u A's. (outs don't matter) R1. Batter hits a grounder to F6 who is playing closer to third than second. F6 snags the ball and runs over second for the out. Instead of continuing forward (towards right field) from running momentum or stopping to throw to first, F6 does this crazy pivot thing and ends up behind second on the left field side. R1, who's now out by about a step, collides with F6 just on the back side of the bag. F6 never looked like he was trying to throw and I don't think a DP would have been possible. I also don't believe R1 had the collision on purpose. I made only the out call and didn't call interference but I'm wondering if I should have. Coach asked about it after the inning (two outs later) and I explained to him that since a double play wasn't possible and R1 was already out then there wasn't anything to call. He agreed and we played on. Game ended by run rule so the call didn't matter to the game but it matters to me. Did I get it right?

http://m.mlb.com/video/v247933683 Agree with call here?

Looks to me that JD could have easily reached second ................. discuss (and no, I'm not posting this because I live in Detroit and this went against the Tigers) embed feature not available on this replay http://m.mlb.com/video/v241477483/?query=interference

this seems like a possible good discussion ........ Your browser does not support iframes.

Your browser does not support iframes. Announcers a bit harsh on the guy... haha

Amazing that the HIGHEST level of baseball, you see youth ball mistakes Your browser does not support iframes.

I'm new here and am seeking help in a potential safety risk that came up this weekend in my son's t-ball preseason tourney. The team that we played, and beat, for the championship produced a very odd situation that I've never seen in baseball. The the opposing team had a very fast, quick, big and aggressive kid playing pitcher. F1. F1 was a one man show that was chasing down almost every hit and making play after play. I've never seen a child this fast and aggressive. F1 had no problem chasing down runners for outs and would slide into the bag on force outs instead of making the tag on runners resulting in several collisions that could have been avoided. As well as 2 situations where f1 did not get to the force out in time but still slid into the occupied base, taking out the runner that he was just behind. Bang bang plays. I had my fill and asked the ump to get control of the situation because f1 had hurt a few of the runners making these plays, and the response was that he was making a legal play. Is is this correct? If not, what rules are being missed? I dont want to hinder a kid because of his God given ability but I also don't want injuries to occur from what i view as excessive contact. I apologize for the length of my post but wanted to capture the scenarios and am concerned not only about the safety of our kids but f1s as well. Thank you in advance.

http://m.mlb.com/video/v85420883

a ball is hit to shortstop, he throws to first, the throw is bad and first basemen crosses in front of first into foul territory to catch the throw and now first base bag is behind him, runner is approaching first when first basemen steps back with one leg attempting to tag the bag.....he however misses the bag and now his leg is blocking the bag to the home plate side of the bag......the runner to avoid stepping on or hitting his leg jumps over the leg and misses the bag. The first basemen turns and tags the runner before he can return to first. The first base ump calls the runner safe because of first basemen interference. The home ump argues that since the first basemen had the ball, and wasn't in the act of fielding the ball, so trying to tag the base with foot was not interference. who is correct? this was a softball game. I believe the rule in softball is you can block a base if you have the ball, but not if you don't......so I would side with the home ump on this one. but I'm not sure.

Play number 1 - runner at first base, ball hit through the infield to right. Right fielder throws the ball all the way into the 3rd base dugout. Runner that was at first has made it to third and is standing on the bag when the ball goes out of play. Does he get to advance home even if he wasnt attempting to reach home when the ball went out of play. Play number 2 - Runners at 1st and 2nd. Catcher attempts to pick off the runner at second and overthrows into center field. Runner trys to score from second. The centerfielder throws home, the ball bounces around the backstop and inadvertantly hits the bat of and foot of the current batter while the catcher is now trying to make a play on the runner from 1st trying to score. Is this interference?? Play number 3 - Play number 2 was called interference in our favor. In retaliation, the other team pursuaded the umpire to make this call which ended the game. I know this call is WRONG, but just want verifcation. runners on 1st and second, 2 outs, fly ball is hit and dropped between the SS and left fielder. As the runner from 1st is rounding third, the ball is throw over the cathers head and it hits the runner that just scored from 2nd. Again, interference is called. Isnt a runner still a runner until he reaches the dugout? If a runner is hit by a thrown ball, he certainly isnt out (unless he is out of the baseline) correct? Keep in mind guys, these are 9., 10 year old rec players and the umpires are 13-18 year olds. But we do like to try and get the calls right.

Here's the situation and what happens..... runner on first, no outs, batter hits a pop up that goes directly up and comes down almost exactly on first base. First scenerio...... runner on first does not move at all. 1st basemen slides over to make the catch and just before the catch he bumps into the guy standing on first causing the 1st basemen to drop the ball. Second scenerio..... runner moves off 1st base towards second base and 1st basement moves over to get under the ball and is now standing right on top of 1st base. The runner not wanting to be called out for leaving 1st comes back to first and just as the 1st basemen is about to catch the ball he bumps into him and once again the catch is dropped. Personally, i have seen both things happen and both times I called dead ball runner interference. In the first scenerio, it was my judgement that even thou the runner doesn't need to leave the base which would result in a double play, he could of stepped over to the side of the bag and kept a foot on the bag and allowed the 1st basemen to make the catch. I know the runner didn't intentionally interfere, but he also did nothing to not interfere. In the second scenerio, I again called runner interference because although the runner has a right to get back to the bag, he could of slide in or went low to corner of bag which would avoided the bumping of the 1st basemen trying to make the catch. Were my calls correct? I know the offensive team did not think so in either case. But to me getting called for interference has the same result as allowing the guy to catch the ball. Both equal one out and avoid a double play. Also, please confirm that the runner is out, and the batter should be granted 1st, and if there was a runner on 2nd or 3rd they would have to return. thanks.

NFHS rules. R1, no outs. The batter hits a towering fly ball to shallow centerfield. R1 stays on 1B. The first-base coach, seeing the full-speed batter-runner might pass R1, reaches out and grabs BR and slows him down. The ball falls uncaught. F8 flips the ball to F6 who steps on the bag for an expected force out. F6 does not tag R1, then R1 slides into 2B. Per 3-3-2, the BR will be out for interference, and there is a delayed dead ball. Any outs made on the play stand, and any runners return to TOI base. So, is the BR's out effective immediately, thereby eliminating the force out at 2B, so R1 will be returned to 1B? Or is the BR's out assessed only after action ends, in which case R1 is forced out?

We discussed this play at the Wendelstedt SoCal Classic over the weekend, and it occurred to me that we can easily compartmentalize this play to make it easier to call on the field. Here is the play: Batter pops up into the infield near the foul line. A runner (R1 or R3 - doesn't matter) interferes with the fielder attempting to make the catch. I don't want to introduce willful and deliberate interference into this first post, but we can discuss it if there are questions. We have 4 possible situations: 1. IFF is not possible (situation doesn't warrant it), batted ball is fair. 2. IFF is not possible (situation doesn't warrant it), batted ball is foul (caught or not). 3. IFF, batted ball is fair. 4. IFF, batted ball is foul (caught or not). In ALL cases, the runner who interferes is OUT. There are no exceptions. Now, how we treat the batter-runner for each of the 4 situations will be as follows: 1. Batter-runner is awarded first. 2. Return batter-runner to bat. Add a strike to the count unless there are already 2 strikes. 3. Batter-runner is out on the IFF. 4. Return batter-runner to bat. Add a strike to the count unless there are already 2 strikes. The mechanic should be as follows: When the umpire sees the interference, he points to the infraction and declares, "That's interference!" While time is normally called on interference, in this case we wait to observe the fair/foul status of the batted ball. Once the status is determined, we then call time, and enforce the play as the situation dictates.

I need your help with this. Because I have a huge argument with the Chief Umpire about it. 1 out, R1, Batter with 2 strikes on the count. R1 goes on the pitch, Batter swings and struck out, with the swings blocks the catcher on his attempt to take R1 out at 2nd. PU calls interference on the batter. What do we do with the runner? Option A): Use rule 6.06© and put R1 backs into 1B. Option B): Use rule 7.09(d) call the runner out also for the interference of the batter. Thank You

Discuss: This play is interference, and a double play ...........   http://m.mlb.com/video/v35403079   This is NOT ruled interference, and ends the game .......   http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/9780550/v35071973

Had a play occur tonight and my partner and I are thinking that we got it wrong. R2, R3. 1 out. OBR. 1-0 game in the 6th. Defensive team is ahead. Ground ball to 1B who comes home to get R3. My partner came up calling INT on batter/runner for running on the grass. Throw retired R3. My partner called me in and we tried talking thru the situation. We ended up ruling that the batter/runner intentionally interfered with the original throw so he was out and R3 was also out ending the inning. After the game, we aren't so sure. Did we screw this up? Also, would it be interference if the B/R never affected the throw?

http://m.mlb.com/video/v35145887

There was a play in the bottom of the first where the Rockies batter bunted down and and it came up and hit him. At first it looked like both feet were in the box, but there was one angle that showed his front foot might have left it. The umpire ruled interference and there was a tame discussion with the Rockies manager. Can anybody find video? I looked for a while on mlb.com and couldn't find anything.

Had a weird situation in a Dixie Youth ball game last night. The call made was on the break-up of a double play. Before I go into the details, I'd like to get takes on what the rule is for breaking up a double play. Does intent to interfere matter? Is the baserunner entitled to the base path? Things like that... who's got the ruling?

OBR An uncaught third strike bounces off the catcher into fair territory. The batter-runner accidentally kicks the ball several feet while running to first. The batter-runner reaches first base safely. What, if anything, do you have here? Here's an applicable rule: 7.09 It is interference by a batter or a runner when— (a) After a third strike he clearly hinders the catcher in his attempt to field the ball. Such batter-runner is out, the ball is dead, and all other runners return to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch. Rule 7.09(a) Comment: If the pitched ball deflects off the catcher or umpire and subsequently touches the batter-runner, it is not considered interference unless, in the judgment of the umpire, the batter-runner clearly hinders the catcher in his attempt to field the ball.