offensive interference-did I get this right?

[ump570]

R3 1 out batter hits a fair ball down the line and it hits runner. I Call time declare R3 out. I allow BR to stay at first because in my judgment the ball would have gone through the infield. Did I misinterpret the rule? Nobody argued the call but I really wasn't sure I got it right. Any insights would be helpful. Thanks.

[noumpere]

R3 1 out batter hits a fair ball down the line and it hits runner. I Call time declare R3 out. I allow BR to stay at first because in my judgment the ball would have gone through the infield. Did I misinterpret the rule? Nobody argued the call but I really wasn't sure I got it right. Any insights would be helpful. Thanks.

Its not that the ball would have gone through its that the rule is that BR gets first and other runners advance if forced, unless the interference was intentionally designed to prevent a double play (assuming pro rules here) and that doesn't seem likely.

 

So you got it right but for the wrong reason.

 

And why wasn't R3 in foul territory? (I know that's not an umpiring question)

[ump570]

These were young players. 11u travel. That explains the kid running in fair ter

ritory. Thanks for the input.

[maven]

If the ball was in fair territory when it struck R3, then you were correct to call INT. In general for this type of INT, the ball is dead, BR awarded 1B, other runners return to their TOI base unless forced to advance by the award to the BR. noumpere is right to point out that you don't need to judge whether the ball would have "gone through."

 

Proper mechanic: "Time! That's interference (pointing to R3)! He's out! You (pointing to BR), first base!"

 

Runner in fair territory? Coaching 101.

[mstaylor]

Yeah, the coach has to learn,"Down in foul, back in fair." In the meantime you got it right. 

[JHSump]

Yes, "Down in foul, back in fair."

 

Sometimes the umpires know more about how to play baseball than at least some of the coaches.

[ump570]

Some of these coaches and players were really good. But there were some Daddy coaches there who just relentless with these kids. Every pitch is like life and death for these coaches. One kid threw 85 pitches in the semi then was brought back to close out the championship game. The kid he was gassed. And the coach is yelling like a nut, "Throw strikes Johnny!" They need to put pitch counts on these travel teams to save these young kids from these Daddy coaches whoSE entire self worth is dependent on little Johnny's team winning an 11u travel tournament.

[JHSump]

I have coached at the kid level.  The best coaches were those that coached college (not me, but I coached youth baseball with a college-level softball coach).  These guys are pretty calm about youth baseball.  They are certainly not basing their self-worth on the win-loss outcome of an 11U game, or season.  And that calmness translates into positive coaching for the kids, learning, and positive outcomes --- even in the face of a loss.

 

Youth coaches screaming don't actually help the kids learn anything.  Yet, you see it so very often.  I don't understand why these coaches think screaming is the best approach.

 

My favorite scream from a coach: "COME ON!  RELAX OUT THERE!" 

 

My favorite umpire fantasy: ejecting a coach for screaming at his players!  

[cyclonehokiece]

I had to remind a coach in a 9u tournament about sportsmanship after he kicked a bucket of balls in his dugout after his kids committed their upmillionth mental mistake/error of the day.  Pitiful behavior.  And then he preached to the kids after the game laying into them about attitude.  At least then he was not yelling.