Base Coach Interference - OBR Live or Dead Ball

[Guest Chayim Phillips (from Israel)]

My question concerns whether the ball is live or dead under the following 2015 Edition of OBR Rule 6.01 (a) (8).  While I see that the penalty says the ball is dead, I have read that Jim Evans and Rick Roder say that professional umpires keep the ball alive.  I think that either when the OBR was rewritten ages ago they put this rule in the wrong place or that the ball is not dead because under the definition of interference, no fielder was hindered or impeded.  As I understand the rule in either case, we call the runner out immediately, but keep the ball alive.  I am aware that the FED and the NCAA rules by their text specifically tell us that the ball is dead.  I also know that Little League on their site has posted an interpretation that seems to align itself with the NCAA rule.  Does any anyone out there have an answer to my question?

6.01 Interference, Obstruction, and Catcher Collisions

(a) (7.09) Batter or Runner Interference

It is interference by a batter or a runner when:

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(8)  In the judgment of the umpire, the base coach at third base, or first base, by touching or holding the runner, physically assists him in returning to or leaving third base or first base;

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PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out and the ball is dead.

[Senor Azul]

If the ball is in play at the time of the coach’s interference (physically assists a runner’s advance or return to a base), the assisted runner is out immediately but the ball remains in play. In other words, it is a delayed dead ball situation. All codes agree on this.

Here is the Official Baseball Rules interpretation:

“Following a coach’s interference, the assisted runner is out, but the ball remains alive. Other runners may make bases or outs.” (Wendelstedt from his manual, p. 159)

 

In fact, the NFHS rule book specifically states this in rule 3-2-2:

"No coach shall physically assist a runner during playing action. PENALTY:  The ball is dead at the end of playing action. The involved batter-runner or runner is out and any additional outs made on the play stand. Runners not put out return to bases occupied at the time of the infraction."

[Guest]

Thanks .....

I see that NFHS 3-3-2 says "The ball is dead at the end of playing action."  This means delayed dead ball (got it, no issue). However, when you look Wendelstedt's interpretation I see no mention of anything resembling a delayed dead ball.  What I see is the the ball remains alive, period.

[maven]

The stated penalty is sloppy: that's the penalty for "batter or runner interference," as indicated in the section title.

The definition of "coach interference" is thrown in among the other kinds of offensive interference, but the penalty is not the same. Only the affected runner is out (you'd never call an additional runner out for coach INT), and the ball remains live rather than being immediately dead.

The rationale for the difference, in case you're wondering, is to prevent coaches intentionally interfering in order to make the ball dead. Imagine: bases loaded, 1 out, batter hits a DP ball to short. The defense should make an easy double play and prevent that run from scoring; if coach INT made the ball immediately dead, coach could tackle R3, make the ball dead immediately with R3 out, and end up with bases loaded and 2 outs instead of inning over. So we leave the ball live after coach INT and allow the defense the opportunity to record further outs.

[Senor Azul]

Here’s a history of the coach’s interference rule taken from the Wendelstedt Rules and Interpretation Manual (p. 159):

 

“Until 1914, base coaches could do whatever was necessary to hold up runners, even if they had to grab hold of them. After 1914 though, the rule was written to call out any runner physically assisted when a play was being made on him. It was changed in 1949 to call the runner out whether a play was being directly made on him or not. The interpretation was that the ball was left in play, and additional outs could be recorded.”

[Senor Azul]

Concerning the term “delayed dead ball” in OBR, here is a note from Carl Childress in his Baseball Rules Differences (2014 edition, p. 239):

“A fact, both curious and surprising, is that the OBR book does not mention a ‘delayed dead ball.’ The ball is either alive or dead. Still, some OBR ‘events’ surely look as if they create a delayed dead ball: (1) a balk; (2) obstruction of a runner not played on; and interference by: (3) a coach; (4) a batter; (5) a catcher; or (6) an umpire. As Shakespeare so rosily said, ‘a rose by any other name….'"

[Guest]

Under the Wendelsted's interpretation, "Other runners may make bases or outs."  This is different than NFHS 3-2-2 because it says, "Runners not put out return to bases occupied at the time of the infraction."  Wendelsted's interpretation means that any and all non-assisted runners can advance at their own risk as far as they can.  He is not saying that a non-assisted runner must return to the base he occupied at the time of the infraction.

It appears that the NFHS Penalty wants to treat the other runners the same way the OBR would treat other runners for all other forms of dead ball interference (i.e., return them to their bases at the time of pitch or time of play).  But Wendelstedt is not saying that.  He recognizes that 2015 OBR Rule 6.01 (a) (8), Coach's Interference, is not the same as the other forms of interference in Rule 6.01 (a).

Why I am citing the 2015 OBR rule citation?  Simple, when the reorganized the OBR, it meant we have to now work at remembering the new citations.      

 

[Jimurray]

Here’s a history of the coach’s interference rule taken from the Wendelstedt Rules and Interpretation Manual (p. 159):

 

 

 

“Until 1914, base coaches could do whatever was necessary to hold up runners, even if they had to grab hold of them. After 1914 though, the rule was written to call out any runner physically assisted when a play was being made on him. It was changed in 1949 to call the runner out whether a play was being directly made on him or not. The interpretation was that the ball was left in play, and additional outs could be recorded.”

 

What year is your WUM? My copy from 2010 has guidance on p199 that says that the ball is left in play and other runners are in jeopardy of being put out. No reference to advances.

I would think that you could return other runners that are not put out to their TOI base. Or maybe there is more current guidance as per your WUM?

[Rich Ives]

What year is your WUM? My copy from 2010 has guidance on p199 that says that the ball is left in play and other runners are in jeopardy of being put out. No reference to advances.

I would think that you could return other runners that are not put out to their TOI base. Or maybe there is more current guidance as per your WUM?

The ball was in play - they get what they got (base or out)