Interference?

[gdpmumin]

Ok, so I've started a topic with this same title before but this is an important area and I'm still learning.

Game between the South Carolina Gamecocks (my alma mater) and the College of Charleston Cougars. Grounder hit to SS. I see R2 interfere with F6. But BU had a no call and CofC AC goes nuts. He gets ejected (obviously) and suspended by the school for two games for making physical contact with an umpire.

I know it's a HTBT situation ultimately, but it looks to me that R2 actually did contact F6 and alter his attempt at the ball. What do you see?

Video here.

Also, by way of follow up, there have been a couple of questions in this forum basically pitting interference vs. type 1 obstruction. In those cases, when there's a question of whether or not the runner interfered with the fielder or the fielder obstructed the runner, which player bears the brunt of the responsibility to get out of the way?

[spiritump]

from the video it looks like the runner interfered--as for your question--the runner should get out of the way

[UMP45]

The ss should get an Oscar! I don't have Int either.

[gdpmumin]

Thanks, spiritump. That's helpful.

[carolinablue]

Looks like the F6 tried to avoid the runner and was successful and ended up trying to "ole" the ball. Had he fronted the ball there probably would have been contact and an interference call. BTW, I'm a Cavalier fan. Hope to see the Gamecocks in the CWS.

[yawetag]

Looks like the F6 tried to avoid the runner and was successful and ended up trying to "ole" the ball. Had he fronted the ball there probably would have been contact and an interference call. BTW, I'm a Cavalier fan. Hope to see the Gamecocks in the CWS.

I disagree. He still had a play on the ball and was prevented by R2. There doesn't have to be contact to be INT.

[mstaylor]

For some reason I had no video. What am I doing wrong. The link went to an article and the only video I saw was the coaches being interviewed.

As far as interference vs Type A obstruction, the fielder gets the right to field the ball, the runner has to avoid contact isn't necessary. If the runner is moving in a natural pace toward the next base then all he has to do avoid the area needed to field the ball. He may slow down or even stop to avoid the ball and usually be ok. What he can't do is contact the fielder or intentionally place himself in the way to hinder the fielder.

I called one the other night where the R2 slowed down, turned toward the plate and opened his arms until the ball got to him and then continued toward third. I banged him and awarded first.

Now take the same play and the F5 is moving toward the runner, F6 is coming in to make the play. Now the umpire has to determine who to protect from interference and who can create an obstruction. Assume he protects the SS but the F5 and runner collide, SS tags him. That is obstruction and the runner is getting third.

[grayhawk]

Looks like the F6 tried to avoid the runner and was successful and ended up trying to "ole" the ball. Had he fronted the ball there probably would have been contact and an interference call. BTW, I'm a Cavalier fan. Hope to see the Gamecocks in the CWS.

That was my first thought as well. Why is he taking this ground ball to his left instead of fielding it properly? Wonder what it looked like from BU's angle.

[Guest]

Meh...INT is a subjective call...there will be many people in each camp here.

But...WTH(oly)F was the rest of the crew doing?!

1) An ejected AC should never get even close to the umpire who ejects him...HC, yes...AC, no freaking way!!

2) So let's just let this ejected coach bump our partner, twice (from what I discerned in the video) and not step in and do anything.

My word, that was nauseating to watch. Awful game management right there.

[mstaylor]

Where is the link? I can't see what you are discussing.

[grayhawk]

Meh...INT is a subjective call...there will be many people in each camp here.

But...WTH(oly)F was the rest of the crew doing?!

1) An ejected AC should never get even close to the umpire who ejects him...HC, yes...AC, no freaking way!!

2) So let's just let this ejected coach bump our partner, twice (from what I discerned in the video) and not step in and do anything.

My word, that was nauseating to watch. Awful game management right there.

Yeah, that was really bad. His partners just let him charge right at him. It's tough to control a guy when you can't touch him, but they didn't even try to get in his way.

And to those who don't see the video - you can see the two videos intervewing the coaches, and just above those, there is a "1" and a "2" - click on the "2" and there are two more videos to watch.

[mstaylor]

He went after all the crew members and it looked like he bumped all of them. It's hard to tell but it looked about 12 minor contacts. The interesting part is the umpire that he argued with originally rodeos him off the PU. The PU called for game management to get rid of him. He should have gotten more than two games, he went after everybody. Then the manager seemed to think it was no big deal in the post game interview.

[Guest]

Meh...INT is a subjective call...there will be many people in each camp here.

But...WTH(oly)F was the rest of the crew doing?!

1) An ejected AC should never get even close to the umpire who ejects him...HC, yes...AC, no freaking way!!

2) So let's just let this ejected coach bump our partner, twice (from what I discerned in the video) and not step in and do anything.

My word, that was nauseating to watch. Awful game management right there.

Yeah, that was really bad. His partners just let him charge right at him. It's tough to control a guy when you can't touch him, but they didn't even try to get in his way.

And to those who don't see the video - you can see the two videos intervewing the coaches, and just above those, there is a "1" and a "2" - click on the "2" and there are two more videos to watch.

See this is where it's interesting.

When you re-watch clips of a player or manager making intentional contact with an umpire, yes, the first attempts by the partners are always hands-off, but when said coach keeps trying to get back at the umpire, I've noticed there seems to be forceful resistance by the partners (notably: http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Dx71BKXxxN8 - 4:20).

It's always going to be a massive grey area, but I think when you have an aggressive bumping incident, the usual "hands-off" rules relax a little bit. Don't rag doll the guy, but don't be a pushover either.