Status of Ball on U3K

[Coach Carl]

OBR

On a U3K, is the ball treated like a batted ball in regards to INT/OBS?

Sitch:  Swinging 3rd strike in dirt is blocked by the catcher and rebounds just out in front of plate.  Batter turns toward his 3rd base dugout and takes a step or two before realizing he can run to 1st.  He snaps around to run to 1st and is about to run into the catcher who is right there trying to grab the ball.  In a defense mechanism, the catcher puts his hand and glove up, essentially pushing the runner in the mid section.  Catcher picks up the ball and tags the runner.  Offense argues obstruction.    

It seems to me, if we treat this as a batted ball we have interference before obstruction, but since it was not a batted ball do we have a different standard for judging INT/OBS?

[Senor Azul]

OBR  After a third strike if the batter clearly hinders the catcher's attempt to field the ball, the batter is out, the ball is dead, and all other runners return TOP.

Official Interpretation:  Wendelstedt:  When the batter-runner contacts an uncaught third strike, or hinders the catcher in his attempt to field the ball, the umpire will wait to see whether it has an interfering effect on the play. If the play is clearly interfered with, the umpire will call and signal interference and then call time. He will call out the batter-runner and return all other runners to their original bases. 

...If the ball is barely affected, there may be no interference; however, if the ball is knocked a considerable distance away, interference is likely...All that matters is whether interference clearly occurred...There is no "both players doing their job" exception as with batted balls out in front of the plate.

[Velho]

13 minutes ago, Senor Azul said:

...If the ball is barely affected, there may be no interference; however, if the ball is knocked a considerable distance away, interference is likely...All that matters is whether interference clearly occurred...There is no "both players doing their job" exception as with batted balls out in front of the plate.

👍 Good to know there is nothing to untangle here.

[Umpire942]

usually especially on steals, we give catcher the right of way and grab batters INT.  runners dont get much leeway in batted ball situations.  But what about on a bunt out of the box and one person is going after the ball and the batter is running the other way to first base? 

 

 

[beerguy55]

On 6/17/2023 at 11:23 AM, Umpire942 said:

usually especially on steals, we give catcher the right of way and grab batters INT.  runners dont get much leeway in batted ball situations.  But what about on a bunt out of the box and one person is going after the ball and the batter is running the other way to first base? 

 

 

For batted balls in front of the plate, where the batter and catcher are involved, there is a specific reference to this tangle/untangle scenario...and as long as the batter/runner is immediately running to first it's nothing.

Since the OP is not a batted ball it doesn't apply....even though in all other respects it "looks" like tangle/untangle.