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Tuesday - June 14, 2011

The batter's interference thing

I know...I owe y'all a game report. But...if you'll indulge me...that batter's interference thing has been weighing on my mind.

Let me be clear: I have not seen a replay of the batter's interference call in the final game of the Austin Super Regional between Texas and Arizona State. I was in the stands and was just as confused as everyone else. I knew that if the umpire called offensive interference, the batter was out and the runner would have to go back to 1b. What I wasn't sure about was whether or not you could call interference if it was Ball 4.

So, I went looking for some clarification.

The rules are available for download from the NCAA publications web site so check them out for yourself. Here's the definition of interference:

The act of an offensive player, umpire or nongame person who interferes with; physically or verbally hinders; confuses; or impedes any fielder attempting to make a play.

Two more points:

If the umpire declares the batter, batter-runner or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that was touched legally at the time of the interference, unless otherwise provided by these rules. The ball is dead.

If the batter-runner has not touched first base at the time of interference, all runners shall return to the base last occupied at the time of the pitch. If there was an intervening play made on another runner, all runners shall return to the base last touched at the time of interference.

More specifically (Rule 7, Section 11.f), a batter is out when:

The batter intentionally or unintentionally interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by stepping out of the batter's box or making any other movement that hinders a defensive player's action at home plate.

The penalty:

The runner(s) return to the base occupied at the time of interference.

Please note that the rule does not say anything about whether or not the pitch is a ball or a strike...leading to a walk or strikeout. And, it specifically says that the action need not be intentional. It does not say that there has to be contact. Merely stepping out of the batter's box and across the plate while the catcher is trying to throw to 2b can constitute hindrance.

The count was full at the time of the call...with a right-handed batter standing on the left side of the plate. The runner was off with the pitch. In the catcher's mind, he had a shot at a strike-em-out, throw-em-out double play. In that instance, he cannot wait to hear whether or not the umpire calls the pitch a ball or a strike; he has to throw to 2b to try and catch the runner from 1b. If he waits on the call, he's got no shot at making the out at 2b. The batter did step out of the batter's box toward 1b. The umpire had every reason to call interference. And, as soon as the umpire called interference, the play was dead, the batter was out, and any runners on the base paths had to return to their original positions. That's the rule. It was, interestingly, interpreted correctly.

At the time, in the heat of the moment, it would seem that the "fair" result would have been to return the runner from 3b to 2b and have runners at 1b and 2b. After all, it was Ball 4. But, that's not the rule. Whether or not you agree with the home plate umpire's assessment of interference can also be debated. But, once he calls it, the play is over. We've got no replay review in baseball. And, frankly, I doubt very seriously that this sort of call would be eligible for review even if we did.

UPDATE. Craig Amick (Twitter handle: craigamick_co) argues that Rule 8, Section 3 would allow for a different interpretation: that the base runner from 1b would actually be entitled to advance to 2b due to the base-on-balls awarded to the batter. The batter would still be out due to the interference call but the moment the ball was called, the runner from 1b automatically gets 2b. Obviously the runner wasn't physically at 2b at the time of the interference call but he was entitled to the base because Ball 4 had been called against the batter.

Rule 8, Sections 3a and 3b state that a runner is entitled to the next base:

(a) If forced to vacate the base because of a following runner.

(b) If forced to vacate the base because the batter was awarded that base.

Was the batter awarded 1b on the base-on-balls call? Or does the interference override the walk? If it does, the runner at 1b is not forced to vacate. It's not at all clear.

Hmmm...

Posted by Joanna at 12:56 PM