Definition 2.00 INTERFERENCE (a) Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play.
7.08 Any runner is out when
(a) (1) He runs more than three feet away from his baseline to avoid being tagged unless his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner's baseline is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely;
(b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball; Rule 7.08(b) Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.



OK, we're at a high school baseball game and we are having a rule discussion:

A swinging batted ball rolls like a bunt in fair territory in front of the right handed batter's box. The batter chooses a path between the batted ball and first base. The catcher does not get a clear line to throw to the first baseman and as a result throws the ball over the first baseman and the batter / runner reaches first.

One one hand the rules indicate a runner can choose any path to the next base and a baseline is not established until a tag is attempted on the runner. But in doing so does the runner "intentionally interfere" by choosing a path that will likely be in the path of the thrown ball?

What say ye - out or safe?

Correa was safe and there was no interference.

HTH.

Edit. Ok. So as not to be a ****, he was safe with no interference because the Yankee pitcher decided to shot put his throw into foul territory in RF about 6 feet over Texiera's glove. The minute he did that he made interference moot. If that pitcher had drilled him in the back instead while inside the base path he might well have gotten that call.

The way it's always been enforced: hit the runner in the back with the throw if he's outside the basepath and the ump will call interference. Otherwise, tough tiddies.

We've had the getting hit discussion. I was taught the goal was to get hit so you wouldn't get put out. I say that if you are running in a base path permitted by the rules you cannot be intentionally interfering if you get hit by a thrown ball.

quote:

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Correa was safe and there was no interference.

HTH.

Edit. Ok. So as not to be a ****, he was safe with no interference because the Yankee pitcher decided to shot put his throw into foul territory in RF about 6 feet over Texiera's glove. The minute he did that he made interference moot. If that pitcher had drilled him in the back instead while inside the base path he might well have gotten that call.

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quote:

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Correa was safe and there was no interference.

HTH.

Edit. Ok. So as not to be a ****, he was safe with no interference because the Yankee pitcher decided to shot put his throw into foul territory in RF about 6 feet over Texiera's glove. The minute he did that he made interference moot. If that pitcher had drilled him in the back instead while inside the base path he might well have gotten that call.

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This same situation happened at our game except the catcher threw it wide. Guys are saying that since he "ran inside the baseline" he interfered. My response was a baseline had not been established. One of the girls brought up the play this afternoon and said if the catcher would have drilled him he would have been out.

I say it's the fielders responsibility to get the ball where he wants it and he has to deal with the runner.

I say safe regardless of whether or not he gets hit.

quote:

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The way it's always been enforced: hit the runner in the back with the throw if he's outside the basepath and the ump will call interference. Otherwise, tough tiddies.

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The basepath is not established until a tag has been attempted. By the rules, at this point in time there is no basepath. So running outside of the basepath is not applicable.

so since you stated that it was a high school game, the NFHS rule book applies:

sec 4.1:

The batter-runner is out when:

g. he runs outside the three-foot running lane (last half of the distance from home plate to first base), while the ball is being fielded or thrown to first base: or
2. the batter runner is considered outside the running lane lines if either foot is outside either line.


batter is out regardless of if he gets hit by the ball or not

Well, that answers the question about high school. What would the ruling be in college or MLB?

but it's always fun to see people's interpretations of rules.


fyi the fake to third throw to first move is still legal in HS as well

same rule is in the MLB book with the following comment:

Rule 5.09(a)(11) Comment (Rule 6.05(k ) Comment): The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base.


that doesn't mean it gets applied exactly as the book says

Thanks for clearing that up - it's very much appreciated!