Stealing home

[Guest David]

Runner on third starts home when the pitcher starts his motion.  Batter stats in the box and swings at the pitched ball.  The bat strikes the catcher and the ball rolls away.  The runner touches home.  Does the run count?

[noumpere 3,272]

As described, this could be Catcher's interference (batter gets first, run scores) or backswing interference (ruling depends on rules code) or ....

 

We need more information on when and how the bat hit the catcher

[BT_Blue 1,607]

If this is that video that makes the rounds every few months on FB...

The play has R1 at least. As pitch comes in, F2 jumps WAY OUT in front of the plate as the batter takes his swing. Bat contacts F2 somewhere around his kidneys and goes down on a heap. (Side note to this video... no one seems to jump up right away or is in any kind of hurry to make sure F2 is ok. But then again. The clip is only around 20 seconds long.)

[Vegas_Ump 53]

Did the pitcher toe the rubber and deliver?  That's a pitch!  If F2 comes out, that CI.  The batter has every right to offer at the pitch legally.  Yes, score the run.

Did the pitcher disengage before he threw home?  If so, he's a fielder and the batter's actions are interference with a defensive play.  

Mike

Las Vegas

[beerguy55 746]

4 hours ago, Vegas_Ump said:

Did the pitcher toe the rubber and deliver?  That's a pitch!  If F2 comes out, that CI.  The batter has every right to offer at the pitch legally.  Yes, score the run

Unless contact was made only on the follow through.  OP doesn't say WHEN the bat hit the catcher.

[Sut'n Blue 73]

To help the original poster 

You are probably describing catcher's interference "CI" (but it could also be backswing interference as noumpre indicates). In the case of CI the coach can 1) accept the penalty which means the batter gets first and runners advance if forced or 2) accept the play in which case F3 scores and the batter remains at bat. If the bases were full, the penalty would be batter gets first and F3 scores because he was forced. 

[Biscuit 181]

On 1/11/2021 at 4:44 PM, Sut'n Blue said:

To help the original poster 

You are probably describing catcher's interference "CI" (but it could also be backswing interference as noumpre indicates). In the case of CI the coach can 1) accept the penalty which means the batter gets first and runners advance if forced or 2) accept the play in which case F3 scores and the batter remains at bat. If the bases were full, the penalty would be batter gets first and F3 scores because he was forced. 

R3 was stealing (best I can tell from OP), so we're going to have to enforce the penalty for CI with a runner attempting to score. We kill the play the instant we have CI, send the batter to first, and score R3*. 

*Assuming we have only R3. Otherwise, all other runners would advance due to the batter becoming a runner, them stealing, or, in the case of R2 R3, R2 not stealing, the additional penalty of a balk.

[beerguy55 746]

11 hours ago, Biscuit said:

the additional penalty of a balk.

it's only a balk if the catcher jumps in front of the plate before the pitch arrives...if the batter simply hits the catcher's mitt in a "traditional" case of CI on a swing, with the catcher just reaching his mitt a little too far, it's not a balk.

[Senor Azul 555]

From the 2018 MiLBUM (section 5.11, p. 45):

If a runner is attempting to steal a base when the catcher interferes with the batter, the runner is awarded the base on the interference. Runners not attempting to steal or not forced to advance remain on the base they occupied at the time of the interference unless Official Baseball Rule 6.01(g) applies. Under Official Baseball Rule 6.01(g), if a runner is stealing home when the catcher interferes with the batter, the additional penalty of a balk is invoked, which enables all runners on base to advance (whether or not they were stealing).

2019 OBR rule 6.01

(g) Interference With Squeeze Play or Steal of Home

If, with a runner on third base and trying to score by means of a squeeze play or a steal, the catcher or any other fielder steps on, or in front of home base without possession of the ball, or touches the batter or his bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk, the batter shall be awarded first base on the interference and the ball is dead.

[Biscuit 181]

On 1/15/2021 at 10:31 AM, beerguy55 said:

it's only a balk if the catcher jumps in front of the plate before the pitch arrives...if the batter simply hits the catcher's mitt in a "traditional" case of CI on a swing, with the catcher just reaching his mitt a little too far, it's not a balk.

Nope, at least in OBR, if R3 is stealing and you have CI, you get the balk added. @Senor Azul has the citation as always 

[beerguy55 746]

On 1/16/2021 at 8:47 PM, Biscuit said:

Nope, at least in OBR, if R3 is stealing and you have CI, you get the balk added. @Senor Azul has the citation as always 

LOL - even after reading and re-reading it took me about five times to see this part "or touches the batter or his bat".