NFHS Obstruction?

[TNCoach]

Batter pops up a bunt foul.  Batter backs up to get out of the way but steps into the catcher's way.  Catcher crashes into batter.  Is this interference? Does interference have to be intentional on this?

[TNCoach]

3 minutes ago, TNCoach said:

Batter pops up a bunt foul.  Batter backs up to get out of the way but steps into the catcher's way.  Catcher crashes into batter.  Is this interference? Does interference have to be intentional on this?

And I meant interference in the title.  They went back and forth on the call.  

[BigBlue4u]

The answer to your questions:  Yes and No.

[Richvee]

Batter backed up, wasn’t running to first. I have interference. Batter out , runners return. If the batter bunted and started running to 1b, and tangles with the catcher I would have nothing ( tangle/ untangle) as long as neither player did anything intentional. Back to the OP, batter was not running , and interference does not have to be intentional in this case. 

[MadMax]

2 hours ago, TNCoach said:

Batter pops up a bunt foul.  Batter backs up to get out of the way but steps into the catcher's way.

If this is a pop-up that the PU judges the F2 (catcher) has a play upon – and thus becoming the protected fielder – then yes, that’s INT. The entire flight of the ball needs to be observed, though, for in some (rare) backstops that are low or close upon the plate area, that pop-up may contact the netting or fencing, above a catchable height, making it (simply) a foul ball. 

There are amateur umpires who will fixate on the physical collision, and impose the INT penalty (an Out) regardless of it being uncatchable (think: local, youth umpire). 

Barring that, it was likely INT. 

[TNCoach]

After playing for over 12 years, coaching for about 12 years, and umpiring for 3, I'm being a dad and watching.  I was beyond the OF fence. I told my wife that's an out, doesn't have to be intentional.  It was catchable.  Hit just beyond the glove even with the contact.  

Coach didn't question the call.  They ultimately called it foul. I didn't know why, but assumed they had incorrectly called it so based on the idea the batter was vacating but still in the box maybe or didn't intentionally interfere.  

Ultimately batter was out at first on what I thought was a makeup call.  I knew I would get the correct information here.  

Thanks!

[Richvee]

33 minutes ago, TNCoach said:

 

After playing for over 12 years, coaching for about 12 years, and umpiring for 3, I'm being a dad and watching

 

You went the opposite direction as I. I went from playing, to Dad watching, to Dad coaching, to umpire… mainly because while watching and coaching my kids, there were too many plays like this, and some more basic plays that made me say ” I can do better than half these guys….. at least I know the basic rules”. 

[beerguy55]

On 3/28/2024 at 8:05 PM, Richvee said:

” I can do better than half these guys….. at least I know the basic rules”. 

I frankly think this is the easiest part of the game, and it blows my mind how many amateur umpires...even after decades...still mess this up.

Where I think people like the folks here are saints is the game management part...and that's the part I simply know I would fail at, so I've never done more than volunteering to ump once in a while.  

[Jimurray]

On 3/28/2024 at 9:05 PM, Richvee said:

You went the opposite direction as I. I went from playing, to Dad watching, to Dad coaching, to umpire… mainly because while watching and coaching my kids, there were too many plays like this, and some more basic plays that made me say ” I can do better than half these guys….. at least I know the basic rules”. 

The career path is baseball dad putting money into baseball to baseball umpire taking money out of baseball. 

[Velho]

19 minutes ago, Jimurray said:

The career path is baseball dad putting money into baseball to baseball umpire taking money out of baseball. 

Based on my experience, that's going to be a looooooooonnnnnnngggggggggggg payback period

[BLWizzRanger]

9 minutes ago, Velho said:

Based on my experience, that's going to be a looooooooonnnnnnngggggggggggg payback period

Plus, my feet, at least, has stopped growing so I don't need new shoes every year....