Interesting Play

[Guest In the stands]

NFHS -  No one on, pitch comes in for ball 4 in dirt, gets by catcher a few feet away from him, batter is now trotting down first base line, on deck batter is walking up to bat and picks up ball and tosses it to the catcher when batter was half way down 1st base line.  What do you have?

[beerguy55]

3 minutes ago, Guest In the stands said:

NFHS -  No one on, pitch comes in for ball 4 in dirt, gets by catcher a few feet away from him, batter is now trotting down first base line, on deck batter is walking up to bat and picks up ball and tosses it to the catcher when batter was half way down 1st base line.  What do you have?

"Don't do that"

[Rich Ives]

15 minutes ago, Guest In the stands said:

NFHS -  No one on, pitch comes in for ball 4 in dirt, gets by catcher a few feet away from him, batter is now trotting down first base line, on deck batter is walking up to bat and picks up ball and tosses it to the catcher when batter was half way down 1st base line.  What do you have?

Is assistance illegal?  Interference is hindering. Did this hinder anyone?

[Senor Azul]

Fortunately for us, FED is the only code that speaks to this question directly with an official interpretation. From the 2016 BRD (section 327, p. 216):

Official Interpretation:  Hopkins:  If an on-deck batter picks up a live ball: (1) With runners not moving, the ball is simply dead; (2) with runners moving, the ball is dead and the runner on whom the defense would have played is out. If the umpire cannot determine which runner, the one nearer home is out. (Website 2003 #19)

SITUATION 19: With runners on first and second, the pitch rebounds off the catcher's shin guard and goes to the on-deck circle. An on-deck batter, not thinking, picks up the ball and throws it to the pitcher. The runners (a) were not moving at the time or (b) attempting to advance to the next base. RULING: In (a) the ball is declared dead. In (b) the ball is declared dead and the runner that the umpire believes a play would have been made on is declared out. If the umpire is uncertain, the runner nearest home would be called out. (2-21-1a, 8-4-2g)

[Replacematt]

11 minutes ago, Senor Azul said:

Fortunately for us, FED is the only code that speaks to this question directly with an official interpretation. From the 2016 BRD (section 327, p. 216):

Official Interpretation:  Hopkins:  If an on-deck batter picks up a live ball: (1) With runners not moving, the ball is simply dead; (2) with runners moving, the ball is dead and the runner on whom the defense would have played is out. If the umpire cannot determine which runner, the one nearer home is out. (Website 2003 #19)

SITUATION 19: With runners on first and second, the pitch rebounds off the catcher's shin guard and goes to the on-deck circle. An on-deck batter, not thinking, picks up the ball and throws it to the pitcher. The runners (a) were not moving at the time or (b) attempting to advance to the next base. RULING: In (a) the ball is declared dead. In (b) the ball is declared dead and the runner that the umpire believes a play would have been made on is declared out. If the umpire is uncertain, the runner nearest home would be called out. (2-21-1a, 8-4-2g)

There was no play possible, however.

[noumpere]

2 hours ago, Guest In the stands said:

 What do you have?

An exhibition of good sportsmanship.

 

That's so rare these days, it's easy to see why some get confused by it.

[blue23ll]

I got time...I got nada, "don't do that again"