Catcher's interference & Balk??

[Tyennie]

I am BU. JrBR, OBR, R1 & R3, F1 & F2 decide on a pitch out to catch R1 stealing. F2 comes across (towards front of) homeplate & ends up having his glove hand whacked by the batter. PU & I both call catcher's interference, after discussion we concur that F2 was out of catcher's box prior to release of ball and enforce a balk (catcher's balk) scoring R3, moving R1 to 2B and putting BR on first. How bad did we miss this one??

[mstaylor]

If the R3 is stealing then you are bang on, enforce the balk and CI.

[Tyennie]

Thanks Mike, But i hate to say R3 was not stealing, just a good lead with no intent to head home. The offensive coach had no concern and did not question, but it (the ruling) nagged at me last night.

[mstaylor]

In that case you have two things to rule on. You have a balk and a CI. A balk is ignored if the BR reaches first safely and ALL runners advance at least one base. With the CI that advances the BR which forces the R1 but it doesn't affect the R3. So enforce the balk, advance both runners, leave the batter at the plate with the same count.

[Tyennie]

Alright, thanks again. At the half inning I talked with my PU telling him I think we scored a run erroneously with that ruling. but it was not a close game thank goodness.

Oh well live and learn. later tyennie

[UmpJM]

Ty & Michael,

As described, there was no balk.

The proper call would have been to enforce the CI - place the BR at 1B, move R1 to 2B, and leave R3 at 3B.

Had there been a balk, I would concur with Michael's ruling.

JM

[mstaylor]

John, why no balk, according to the OP, the catcher came out and caught the ball out front. I guess since he got hit he really wasn't out in front, just in the zone. If that is true then you do only have a CI, bases loaded, new batter.

[UmpJM]

John, why no balk, according to the OP, the catcher came out and caught the ball out front. I guess since he got hit he really wasn't out in front, just in the zone. If that is true then you do only have a CI, bases loaded, new batter.

Michael,

OBR 7.07 (CI and a Balk) only applies with an R3 attempting to advance on the pitch. There wasn't one on the play so 7.07 doesn't apply.

OBR 4.03 (the "catcher's balk" initially suggested by Ty) only applies during an intentional base on balls - which was not occurring. Also, despite the text of the wording, the actual custom & practice is to release the catcher from his constraint to the box at TOP rather than when the ball leaves F1's hand.

He didn't do anything else that was a balk, even if the F2 DID step out in front of the plate in his ill-considered eagerness to receive the pitch.

JM

[carolinablue]

Doesn't the R3 need to be attempting to steal home ( or a squeeze ) in order to get the balk here ?

Sorry JM beat me to it, we must have typing at the same time. I'm getting slow in my old age.

[Tyennie]

yup that is what i was thinking in retrospect. (hence the quick discussion with pu at the half inning) of course i think this was his first CI sitch ever. But i shall be prepared should it happen again. Given it is 13-15 yr olds i am sure it will at some point in time. :)

[carolinablue]

I have yet to have the CI and balk call happen. There have been a few oppurtunities but it just didn't happen. Once I had a R3 stealing and the F2 jumped in front of the plate and got the out. Believe it or not the OM knew the rule and immediately started asking for a balk and CI, the only problem with that was that the F1 had disengaged before throwing home.

[mstaylor]

I covered the 7.07 possibility in my first post. Then my brain went crazy. Enforce the CI and keep on rolling.

[mazzamouth]

If the R3 is stealing then you are bang on, enforce the balk and CI.

Cant enforce both, on this play, we had this play at PBUc...LOL

[mazzamouth]

Doesn't the R3 need to be attempting to steal home ( or a squeeze ) in order to get the balk here ?

Sorry JM beat me to it, we must have typing at the same time. I'm getting slow in my old age.

If you had a runner on 1st, does he need to be advancing to get the balk? Same rule applies here..LOL

[Rich Ives]

If the R3 is stealing then you are bang on, enforce the balk and CI.

Cant enforce both, on this play, we had this play at PBUc...LOL

Read 7.07 again