Interference

[Guest Mitch]

Runner on first is stealing second.  Batter swings on the pitch and crosses the plate.  Catcher makes the throw but doesn't touch the batter.  Is the runner out?

[UMP45]

There doesn't have to be contact. Judgement call. Did the batter interfere, in any way with the catcher.

[Guest Mitch]

No he did not.  Catcher made a throw right to the base but the runner beat the throw.  

 

[Richvee]

Umpire judgement. If the umpire thinks the batter crossing in front of the plate hindered the catchers throw in any way, he may call batter interference. Contact, quality of the throw, is irrelevant. The umpire may judge the batter crossing in front delayed the catcher's throw. That would be enough.

Some rule points about batter INT in such a situation.

 

  The RUNNER is only out if the original throw retires the runner (INT is ignored) OR, if it was strike 3 on the batter, and interference is called, and the original throw doesn't retire the runner. Otherwise, the batter is out, runner returns.

[Senor Azul]

OBR Authoritative Opinion:  Evans:  The batter is obligated to avoid making ANY MOVEMENT which obstructs, impedes, or hinders the catcher’s play in any way. A swing which carries the batter over home plate and subsequently complicates the catcher’s play or attempted play should be ruled interference. Contact between the batter and catcher does not necessarily have to occur for interference to be ruled. Merely blocking the catcher’s vision to second base may very possibly be interference. (JEA/6:46)

[Jimurray]

On July 14, 2018 at 8:16 PM, Guest Mitch said:

Runner on first is stealing second.  Batter swings on the pitch and crosses the plate.  Catcher makes the throw but doesn't touch the batter.  Is the runner out?

Is it possible that the catcher came up throwing in the opposite batters box to avoid the batter attempting to interfere? Catchers do that in leagues with umpires that have no training or ganas to call BI. It would be BI. 

[DontSuck1977]

On 7/14/2018 at 9:40 PM, Richvee said:

if it was strike 3 on the batter, and interference is called, and the original throw doesn't retire the runner. Otherwise, the batter is out, runner returns.

@Richvee To confirm: In strike 3 situations where BI is called but the runner is not retired by the throw. As a penalty were sending the runner back? The batter is out but that's on the strike 3

[noumpere]

12 minutes ago, DontSuck1977 said:

@Richvee To confirm: In strike 3 situations where BI is called but the runner is not retired by the throw. As a penalty were sending the runner back? The batter is out but that's on the strike 3

Call the runner out for the retired batter's interference.  (FED has an exception, but it should "never" be enforced.)

[Mudisfun]

Call BI every time you can... the more we call this, the faster batters will stop coming across the plate.

[Richvee]

5 hours ago, DontSuck1977 said:

@Richvee To confirm: In strike 3 situations where BI is called but the runner is not retired by the throw. As a penalty were sending the runner back? The batter is out but that's on the strike 3

To clarify. In strike 3 situations where the base runner is safe, call him out for the (retired) batter's interference. If not strike 3 return the runner, batter is out.