Interference?

[MT73]

This one has me guessing.

‘Batted ball hits a base and then strikes the runner.

‘Is this an out or is it considered deflected?

[SH0102]

1 hour ago, MT73 said:

This one has me guessing.

‘Batted ball hits a base and then strikes the runner.

‘Is this an out or is it considered deflected?

This is a solid question. I’m using NCAA rule book, but a runner is out when a “fair batted ball strikes the runner before it touches a fielder or passes all infielders who have a chance to make a play on the ball”.

Definition of a batted ball is just a ball put in play by a bat.

So I’m saying INT bc it didn’t deflect off a fielder and I’m assuming it hasn’t passed INF’s (unless they were playing in)

[MT73]

That sounds right.

In OBR I think it says unless deflected by a fielder or an umpire.

‘Sometimes I just get a brain freeze.

Thanks.

‘In OBR the position of the fielders is irrelevant.

Through or by means through the infielders legs or by his immediate vicinity.

[Senor Azul]

In general, the base is not a sanctuary:  A runner is out when hit by an untouched fair batted ball even while in contact with his base if a fielder is in position to make a play.

2019 NFHS Case Book Play 5.1.1 Situation N:  With R3 and F5 playing deep, B2 hits a ball that caroms off the base into foul territory where it touches R3. RULING:  A runner who is hit by a batted fair ball in foul territory is not out and the ball remains live.

Here’s an exception to be aware of. From the 2015 MLBUM (section 18, p. 19):

12. Runner on second base, no one out. Batter bunts the ball down the third base line. Pitcher and third baseman hover over the ball and let it roll down the line towards third, hoping it will go foul. The ball continues to roll down the line in fair territory with the pitcher and third baseman following it. The ball ends up rolling to third base, strikes the base, and then strikes the runner from second base who is now standing on third.

Ruling:  Even though the ball has technically not passed a fielder, the ball is alive and in play because the fielders had an opportunity to field the batted ball but chose not to. The runner is not out in this situation.

 

[MT73]

Thanks—and that settles it because had that exception not occurred the runner would have been out.

👍

[noumpere]

2 hours ago, MT73 said:

This one has me guessing.

‘Batted ball hits a base and then strikes the runner.

‘Is this an out or is it considered deflected?

Out (assuming the rest of the criteria are met).  A ball is deflected when it goes off a fielder; the base is just part of the ground.

[Guest NJ Coach]

Here's a follow-up to Azul's example.   What if R3 heading toward home collides with an infielder who is closely following the ball waiting for it to go foul ?

Here are two scenarios, both with the fielder not trying to pick up the moving ball.

1. If, after the collision, ball doesn't end up rolling foul, is it interference ?

2. If, after the collision, the ball does roll foul is interference nullified ?

 

[maven]

2 hours ago, Guest NJ Coach said:

Here's a follow-up to Azul's example.   What if R3 heading toward home collides with an infielder who is closely following the ball waiting for it to go foul ?

Here are two scenarios, both with the fielder not trying to pick up the moving ball.

1. If, after the collision, ball doesn't end up rolling foul, is it interference ?

2. If, after the collision, the ball does roll foul is interference nullified ?

1. It depends: did the contact hinder the fielder? It sounds as if not, as he wasn't trying to field the ball.
2. Did the contact hinder the fielder in that instance? Isn't INT defined in terms of a fair batted ball?

[beerguy55]

3 hours ago, Guest NJ Coach said:

1. If, after the collision, ball doesn't end up rolling foul, is it interference ?

2. If, after the collision, the ball does roll foul is interference nullified ?

If it's determined to be INT, I would say it's still INT even if it rolled foul...the only reason it rolled foul is you hindered the fielder from playing it while it was still fair.

But this goes back to scenario one...if they're not trying to field it, what did you hinder?  BUT, there's nothing to say the fielder can't change their mind and try to field the ball to get R3 at home - sure, you'd let it go foul if you had no chance to get BR and no other runners were moving...but if you see that R3 is running you might now try to make a play on him.   As well, if it rolls foul the fielder can touch it to stop it from going back fair...something they can't do if they've been laid out by R3.

[Senor Azul]

From the 2017 Jaksa/Roder manual (pp. 104-105):

The granting of protection to a fielder may be withheld momentarily on slowly developing plays…

If a ball is rolling along a foul line, and a fielder is moving along with it, but opting not to reach for the ball (waiting to see if the ball will roll foul), the fielder is not protected.

Our guest NJ Coach has introduced a new element to his additional what-if scenarios—the batted ball has not struck the runner but the runner and fielder collide. In both of his plays the batted ball was fair at the time of the collision and the fielder was not in the act of fielding (by choice). Therefore, the fielder was not protected and is actually guilty of obstruction.