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NFHS passed ball situation - ball 4, R2 stealing on pitch


udbrky
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Here's one my friends and I tossed around tonight without a real consensus answer:

 

R2 stealing on a passed ball  for ball 4

 

Batter-runner throws bat to go to first and hits the ball with the bat he threw as he's running to first.

 

R2 scored.

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I hope you were defending "batter INT."

7.3.5I

SITUATION: With a runner on third base and one out, B3 receives ball four for a base on balls. B3 takes several steps toward first base and then realizes he is still holding onto the bat. With his dugout on the third base side, he stops and tosses the bat in front of home plate towards his bench. As he tosses the bat, F2 throws the ball to third in an attempt to put out R3. The ball contacts the bat in mid-air and is deflected into  dead-ball territory.

RULING: The ball is dead. Interference is declared on the batter. If R3 had been attempting to steal home, R3 would be declared out and B3 awarded first base on the base on balls. If R3 was attempting to return to third base on the play, B3 is declared out for the interference. (7-3-5)

7.3.5I is not exactly your play, but the principle it applies—the batter is responsible for his bat, and negligently hindering the defense is still batter INT—still governs.

For your play, the ball is dead, the batter is out, and R2 returns to 2B. I'm quite certain that this is correct for FED, but less so for OBR. I think that I would rule the same—I can't see even pro rules reasonably expecting fielders to adjust to a flying bat in the air.

Also, and please pardon the suggestion: your discussion group might go more, um, efficiently if you consulted the books more. This one is right there in the batter INT cases. Just sayin'. :GL:

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I’m having trouble picturing this. When you say passed ball, I’m thinking the ball is near the back stop. Which would mean the batter tosses a bat...towards the back stop and it hits the ball? But that doesn’t seem right.  

Do you mean more of..

Wild pitch, blocked but scoots away a bit, batter tosses bat and it hits the ball?

I guess we’d have the same ruling as above if it moved the ball or the bat hindered the catchers ability to pick it up?

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11 hours ago, maven said:

I hope you were defending "batter INT."

7.3.5I

SITUATION: With a runner on third base and one out, B3 receives ball four for a base on balls. B3 takes several steps toward first base and then realizes he is still holding onto the bat. With his dugout on the third base side, he stops and tosses the bat in front of home plate towards his bench. As he tosses the bat, F2 throws the ball to third in an attempt to put out R3. The ball contacts the bat in mid-air and is deflected into  dead-ball territory.

RULING: The ball is dead. Interference is declared on the batter. If R3 had been attempting to steal home, R3 would be declared out and B3 awarded first base on the base on balls. If R3 was attempting to return to third base on the play, B3 is declared out for the interference. (7-3-5)

7.3.5I is not exactly your play, but the principle it applies—the batter is responsible for his bat, and negligently hindering the defense is still batter INT—still governs.

For your play, the ball is dead, the batter is out, and R2 returns to 2B. I'm quite certain that this is correct for FED, but less so for OBR. I think that I would rule the same—I can't see even pro rules reasonably expecting fielders to adjust to a flying bat in the air.

Also, and please pardon the suggestion: your discussion group might go more, um, efficiently if you consulted the books more. This one is right there in the batter INT cases. Just sayin'. :GL:

I really doubt that OBR (or NCAA) treats it as BI, and I don't think FED should either. I think it would be just bog standard INT. Same as a batter stepping towards first after ball 4 not being guilty of INT, unless it was intentional, on a throw to 3rd or back pick to 2nd etc.

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