Catcher interference

[Guest Mike]

Can a catcher move his right arm or leg (shin Guards) as to interfere with runner sliding into home plate pushing runners leg away from home plate. Such as the one with Travis d'Arnaud in game against the Phillies

[Replacematt]

35 minutes ago, Guest Mike said:

Can a catcher move his right arm or leg (shin Guards) as to interfere with runner sliding into home plate pushing runners leg away from home plate. Such as the one with Travis d'Arnaud in game against the Phillies

Yes, if he has the ball (all codes) or is making an immediate play on the ball (NCAA, OBR.)

[SH0102]

39 minutes ago, Guest Mike said:

Can a catcher move his right arm or leg (shin Guards) as to interfere with runner sliding into home plate pushing runners leg away from home plate. Such as the one with Travis d'Arnaud in game against the Phillies

Basepath belongs to the runner unless the catcher has the ball or is in the immediate act of fielding the ball.  Once he has the ball, he can lay across the plate if he wants to, though if he has the time to do so, I would surmise the runner wouldn't be coming home to begin with.

[Vegas_Ump]

Note:  Catcher (defensive) Interference occurs when a member of the defense hinders the batter from offering at the pitch.  99.99% it's when the bat comes around and hits the catcher's mitt.

You are thinking of Obstruction.  Any fielder (including the catcher) may not "obstruct" the bag/plate unless he has the ball and is position to make a play.  There are different language and interpretations depending on the rules but they are all pretty close.

Mike

Las Vegas

[Velho]

On 4/12/2021 at 11:27 AM, ShaunH said:

Basepath belongs to the runner unless the catcher has the ball or is in the immediate act of fielding the ball.  Once he has the ball, he can lay across the plate if he wants to, though if he has the time to do so, I would surmise the runner wouldn't be coming home to begin with.

Not disputing you're correct but this makes no sense to me. Below play for example (replay confirmed in second link). Catcher has ball so he can kick the runner in the face to block plate and apply tag on the leg.

Analogy would be fielder who catches the ball but can't swipe the tag in time so intentionally shoves/shoulders/leg trips runner to the ground to buy time.

https://www.mlb.com/video/schwarber-baez-cut-down-run/c-2405469183?tid=63817564

https://www.mlb.com/video/cubs-throw-out-newman-at-plate/c-2406501283?tid=70467870

[SH0102]

1 hour ago, Velho said:

Not disputing you're correct but this makes no sense to me. Below play for example (replay confirmed in second link). Catcher has ball so he can kick the runner in the face to block plate and apply tag on the leg.

Analogy would be fielder who catches the ball but can't swipe the tag in time so intentionally shoves/shoulders/leg trips runner to the ground to buy time.

https://www.mlb.com/video/schwarber-baez-cut-down-run/c-2405469183?tid=63817564

https://www.mlb.com/video/cubs-throw-out-newman-at-plate/c-2406501283?tid=70467870

You are relating making a tag to kicking in the face and shouldering or tripping a runner? Ummm, ok...

you can block the plate/base, you can not use violence against the opponent.

Laying on the plate = blocking, no physical harm

kicking in the face, tripping, shouldering = violence (we call it malicious) contact

[Velho]

58 minutes ago, ShaunH said:

You are relating making a tag to kicking in the face and shouldering or tripping a runner? Ummm, ok...

you can block the plate/base, you can not use violence against the opponent.

Laying on the plate = blocking, no physical harm

kicking in the face, tripping, shouldering = violence (we call it malicious) contact

Sounds like we are in agreement.  

I'm reacting to the linked play where the Cubs catcher legally kicked the Pirates runner in the face to block him from the plate. https://www.mlb.com/video/schwarber-baez-cut-down-run/c-2405469183?tid=63817564

[Replacematt]

52 minutes ago, Velho said:

Sounds like we are in agreement.  

I'm reacting to the linked play where the Cubs catcher legally kicked the Pirates runner in the face to block him from the plate. https://www.mlb.com/video/schwarber-baez-cut-down-run/c-2405469183?tid=63817564

He put his leg out to block and it happened to catch the runner in the face. He wasn't kicking the runner intentionally.

[maven]

That's not OBS, nor a violation of the HP collision rule. That's why the runner was ruled out.

F2 gained possession of the ball and then put out his leg, which is legal. The runner slid into the leg, which slowed him enough that the tag could be applied before the touch. All action legal.

[Velho]

18 minutes ago, maven said:

That's not OBS, nor a violation of the HP collision rule. That's why the runner was ruled out.

F2 gained possession of the ball and then put out his leg, which is legal. The runner slid into the leg, which slowed him enough that the tag could be applied before the touch. All action legal.

Thanks Maven. Is there special consideration for home plate? Imagine a play where (in only hope by F4 to make the play), sequentially this happens : 1) F4 gloves the ball to his right, 2) F4 extends left arm in the front of the the passing BR slowing him down 3) F4 tags BR. Is that legal?

[Note for all. Not being argumentative. Genuinely intrigued. Just staying curious]

[beerguy55]

9 minutes ago, Velho said:

Thanks Maven. Is there special consideration for home plate? Imagine a play where (in only hope by F4 to make the play), sequentially this happens : 1) F4 gloves the ball to his right, 2) F4 extends left arm in the front of the the passing BR slowing him down 3) F4 tags BR. Is that legal?

[Note for all. Not being argumentative. Genuinely intrigued. Just staying curious]

I'm smack the coach for putting in a left-handed second baseman.

[Velho]

HA! 🤭Let me try again.

Is there special consideration for home plate? Imagine a play where (in only hope by F4 to make the play), sequentially this happens : 1) F4 gloves the ball to his LEFT, 2) F4 extends RIGHT arm in the front of the the passing BR slowing him down 3) F4 tags BR. Is that legal?

 

[maven]

Although I'm grateful for the vote of confidence, my post aimed to explain the actual ruling from MLB for the play posted in the video. I have no normative authority for pro baseball.

That said, to the question "is there special consideration for HP," the answer is yes. There's a HP collision rule that applies only to HP: it has a provision restricting the runner and another restricting the fielder.

[Senor Azul]

Mr. Velho, what you are asking about is called defensive malicious contact. Both the FED and the NCAA actually have rules covering this—in FED it’s rule 3-3-1m and in the NCAA they use their current rule 5-16a. Here’s the FED rule and a FED case play to illustrate the rule—

2020 rule 3 SECTION 3 BENCH AND FIELD CONDUCT

ART. 1 . . . A coach, player, substitute, attendant or other bench personnel shall not:

m. initiate malicious contact on offense or defense;

2019 NFHS Case Book Play 3.3.1 Situation JJ:  With two outs, and R2 on second base and R1 on first, B5 hits the ball in the gap. R2 touches and rounds third, R1 touches and rounds second. B5 touches and rounds first, F3 initiates malicious contact with B5 as a play is developing at third base on R2 a) before a tag, or b) after a tag. RULING:  In (a), the ball is dead, and in the umpire’s judgment R2 scores, R1 is awarded third base, B5 is awarded second base, and F3 is ejected for malicious contact. In (b) the ball is dead, the out at third base is recorded, thus making R2’s score a timing play. F3 is also ejected for malicious contact.

For OBR those deliberate acts you ask about are simply considered obstruction according to the 2017 Jaksa/Roder manual (p. 126):

It is obstruction if—a fielder intentionally impedes a runner (e.g., trips, pins, grabs, or tackles him, blocks his vision, etc.).