Squeeze play

[labguy1971 9]

Need some help with this one guys.  FED game.  Runner on 3rd with 1 out, looks like squeeze is on (saftey) but pitch is way outside with batter trying to bunt it but stepping on home plate while doing so.  The catcher slings the ball to 3rd as I am calling time to call the batter out and my base guy punches out the runner at 3rd.  We get together and put the runner back on 3rd and DC is upset and not having it.  I calmly tell him that the out of the batter was a dead ball so therefore the play at 3rd did not happen.  First, was I right to call the batter out for stepping on home plate in an attempt to bunt?  Second, if that was wrong, please cite and help me out.  I have been reading the rule book and I think I have it right.  Third, was it a dead ball if I was right on the batter being called out?

 

Thanks in advance

 

[Richvee 2,231]

Sorry. You kicked this one. The batter has to hit the ball to be called out. FED 7-3-2

 

Hit the ball fair or foul while either foot or knee is touching the ground ­completely outside the lines of the batter's box or touching home plate.

[labguy1971 9]

Good info, thanks  OC did not argue about the batter but DC did about the runner at 3rd.  Good to know.  I missed the batter making contact part.  Got an out, just on the wrong guy.  Runner at 3rd was out by 2 steps.   Will keep reading and will also make an index card on this so as to not make the same mistake.

[labguy1971 9]

Hey Richvee, not that I would have called it this way as I was calling the out for stepping on home plate.  Could it be interference rule 7-3-5?

[Richvee 2,231]

Hey Richvee, not that I would have called it this way as I was calling the out for stepping on home plate.  Could it be interference rule 7-3-5?

The throw retired the runner so the INT would be ignored. 

[labguy1971 9]

Good stuff, thanks again. 

[kylehutson 480]

So you said the batter made contact - I'm assuming then that it wasn't a foul tip? If it was a foul tip, it's just a strike and R3 is out (based on the rule @Richvee quoted above). If it was hit (fair or foul doesn't matter), the batter is out and the ball is dead so R3 stays at 3B.

[labguy1971 9]

So you said the batter made contact - I'm assuming then that it wasn't a foul tip? If it was a foul tip, it's just a strike and R3 is out (based on the rule @Richvee quoted above). If it was hit (fair or foul doesn't matter), the batter is out and the ball is dead so R3 stays at 3B.

No he missed completely, like I missed the call.  We got an out, just the wrong out.  I killed it for batter stepping on plate and called him out (wrong) but the runner returning to 3rd was out by 2 steps (we put him back there)  I messed up but got lucky that an out was recorded as one of the guys was actually out if I had done nothing but call the strike.

[ricka56 1,143]

Fed's little book of suggestions (7-3-2) does say that the batter should be out, but I have never taken that advice...nor have I ever experienced the arse chewing that umpires always get when they make that call. Watch the pitch/play, not the batter's feet.

[Dbellyflop 47]

It is also not against the rules to step on home plate. the batters foot must be completely out of the batters box.

[Chip 41]

It is also not against the rules to step on home plate. the batters foot must be completely out of the batters box.

 

Not true in FED. That's only in OBR.

[Dbellyflop 47]

Thanks Chip.

Not that well versed in FED.

[maven 4,520]

Fed's little book of suggestions (7-3-2) does say that the batter should be out, but I have never taken that advice...nor have I ever experienced the arse chewing that umpires always get when they make that call. Watch the pitch/play, not the batter's feet.

 

The OP reports that the batter stepped on the plate to reach a pitch in the opposite batter's box. With a pitch that far out, I'll get a peek at his foot, especially if it's well onto the plate.

 

If he gets the bat on the ball, our only option is going to be an illegally batted ball. You can't call BI on a batter who has put the ball in play. If he stands around and interferes with the play at the plate, you could get runner INT on the BR, but that's a different infraction with a different penalty.

 

If he fails to get the bat on the ball, it's going to be BI, since he's standing where F2 needs to make a play on the runner. If the first throw retires the runner, then the penalty is ignored. Otherwise, with less than 2 out, R3 is out (other runners return); with 2 out, the batter is out.

[zoops 67]

If he fails to get the bat on the ball, it's going to be BI, since he's standing where F2 needs to make a play on the runner. If the first throw retires the runner, then the penalty is ignored. Otherwise, with less than 2 out, R3 is out (other runners return); with 2 out, the batter is out.

PENALTY: When there are two outs, the batter is out. When there are not two outs and the runner is advancing to home plate, if the runner is tagged out, the ball remains live and interfer­ence is ignored. Otherwise, the ball is dead and the runner is called out. When an attempt to put out a runner at any other base is unsuccessful, the ­batter is out and all runners must return to bases occupied at the time of the pitch. If the pitch is a third strike and in the umpire's judgment interference prevents a possible ­double play (additional outs), two may be ruled out (8-4-2g).

 

The underlined part would make me think the batter would be out even with less than two outs, since the runner was not advancing to home plate (OP makes it sound like he was retreating to 3rd)?  Of course assuming that the runner was not thrown out on the initial play.  

[maven 4,520]

The underlined part would make me think the batter would be out even with less than two outs, since the runner was not advancing to home plate (OP makes it sound like he was retreating to 3rd)? Of course assuming that the runner was not thrown out on the initial play.

@zoops: how could he have retreated to 3B if he hadn't first advanced? He need not be advancing at the moment of the batter's INT to be the one penalized.

 

The OP reported that this was a botched squeeze play. R3 would be out for BI with less than 2 outs. Since the first throw retired him anyway, it's moot.