Scenario #1: There is a runner on first base and the first baseman is playing in his/her normal position behind the base. A ball is hit sharply towards the first baseman and the first baseman steps into the baseline to field the ball. The batter, running towards second, collides with the first baseman.
Scenario #2: The batter hits the ball to the shortstop. The first baseman runs to the base and places his foot over first base (on the outside of the bag instead of on the inside of the bag) to catch the ball. The play is close at first, the ball arriving first, but the batter-runner trips over the extended leg of the first baseman.
Scenario #3: The bases are empty and the runner hits to the outfield. In running the bases the runner bumps into the first baseman who was standing near the bag and makes it to second safely about that same time that the ball is thrown to the shortstop who is standing in the infield dirt.
Scenario #1: There is a runner on first base and the first baseman is playing in his/her normal position behind the base. A ball is hit sharply towards the first baseman and the first baseman steps into the baseline to field the ball. The batter, running towards second, collides with the first baseman.
WHAT'S THE CALL? The call is interference on the runner, and the runner is out. The ball is dead, and all runners return to the base last legally touched. (Small exception, if the fielder is judged to have intentionally caused the collision to impede the runner, it becomes obstruction, but this is pretty tough to call unless it is incredibly flagrant.)
"Show Me the Rule":
2.0 Definition: Interference
(a) Offensive interference is an act by a member of the team at bat which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders, or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If the umpire declares the batter, runner-batter, or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that was, in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless otherwise provided by these rules.
(e) On any interference the ball is dead.
7.08 Any runner is out when ?
(b) intentionally interferes with a thrown ball, or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball (NOTE: 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 is intentional or not).
7.09 It is interference by a batter or runner when ?
(l) the runner fails to avoid a fielder who is attempting to field a batted ball, or . . .
PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out and the ball is dead.
Common misunderstanding: ?The batter has the right to the base path.? Though this is partially true, I can find this phrase no where in the rulebook (if you do, please forward it to me). The partial truth is that when the fielder (1) is preparing to catch a throw and is not in possession of the ball or (2) is not in the play at all, he/she must stay out of the base path or Obstruction can be called; however, if the fielder is playing a BATTED ball, the fielder has the right of way even in the base path. (NOTE: If the runner runs out of the base path to avoid a fielder making a play on a batted ball, the runner is NOT out [Rule 7.08 (a)(1)].)
Here is an easier way to think of it:
A runner must avoid a fielder playing a BATTED ball in the same way he/she must avoid being hit by a batted ball.
A fielder setting up to play a THROWN ball must set up in a place that will not impede the runner access to the base or progress in the base path. If the throw is then errant and pulls the fielder into the runner, it is a no call.
A fielder NOT playing a batted ball may only impede a runner?s progress if actually in POSSESSION of the ball.
Scenario #2: The batter hits the ball to the shortstop. The first baseman runs to the base and places his foot over first base (on the outside of the bag instead of on the inside of the bag) to catch the ball. The play is close at first, the ball arriving first, but the batter-runner trips over the extended leg of the first baseman.
WHAT?S THE CALL? The call is obstruction on the first baseman and the batter is safe.
In fact, the correct call is the instant that the fielder who is not in possession of the ball steps into a position to obstruct the runner from first base, the umpire should call ?Obstruction! Time Out!? and hopefully stop the collision from happening. The batter-runner is awarded first, and any other runners are awarded one base beyond the last one that they touched.
If the collision still occurs, however, the obstruction (and subsequent dead ball) took place before the batter-runner legally touched the base and the runner should still only be awarded first base.
?Show Me the Rule?:
2.0 Definition: Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in the possession of the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. A fake tag is considered obstruction. (NOTE: Obstruction shall be called on a defensive player who blocks off a base, baseline, or home plate from a base runner while not in possession of the ball.)
7.06 When the obstruction occurs, the umpire shall call or signal ?Obstruction.? (a) In the play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batter-runner is obstructed before touching first base, the ball is dead and all runners shall advance without liability of being put out, to the bases they would have reached, in the umpire?s judgment, if there had been no obstruction. The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base last legally touched by such runner, before the obstruction. Any preceding runners forced to advance by the award of bases as the penalty for the obstruction shall advance without liability of being put out.
Common misunderstanding:
1) In this instance, most people want to call Interference, but the rulebook makes a point of distinguishing between Obstruction and Interference in order to differentiate between the calls. Obstruction is mainly when a fielder hinders a runner?s ability to legally advance, while Interference is mainly when a runner impedes a fielder?s ability to make a play (Exception: Defensive interference is when a fielder hinder the batter?s ability to hit a pitch). In other words (for the greater part), Interference is when a defender is hindered; Obstruction is when an offensive player is hindered.
2) ?Bases are awarded as a penalty for Obstruction.? Actually, a better way to put it is that the offensive team should not be penalized for the defensive team?s obstruction. Extra bases are awarded if the umpire judges that the runner could have safely made it to another base, so in the above situation, since it was an infield play, the runner is awarded first, but not second, since if he/she had gone for second, the runner probably would have been out.
Scenario #3: The bases are empty and the runner hits to the outfield. In running the bases the runner bumps into the first baseman who was standing near the bag and makes it to second safely about that same time that the ball is thrown to the shortstop who is standing in the infield dirt.
WHAT'S THE CALL? When the "bump" occurs, the umpire calls "Obstruction!" and allows play to proceed (called a "delayed dead ball"). Once the base runners are at their bases and the ball is in the infield and no one is attempting to make a play, ?Time!? is called. Then the umpire should judge whether or not the runner could have safely made third if the obstruction had not occurred. Since the ball arrived about the same time that the runner arrived at second, however, the runner will probably stay at second; if, however, the collision was significant enough that the runner could easily have made third, the runner is awarded third base.
?Show Me the Rule?:
7.06 When the obstruction occurs, the umpire shall call or signal ?Obstruction.? (b) If no play is being made on the obstructed runner, the play shall proceed until no further action is possible. The umpire shall then call ?Time? and impose such penalties, if any, as in that umpire?s judgment will nullify the act of obstruction. (NOTE 1: When the ball is not dead on obstruction and an obstructed runner advances beyond the base which, in the umpire?s judgment, the runner would have been awarded because of being obstructed, the runner does so at his/her own risk and may be tagged out. This is a judgment call. NOTE 2: If the defensive player blocks the base (plate) or base line clearly without possession of the ball, obstruction shall be called. The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball shall be called.)
Additional thought: Let?s say that the above scenario happens, the umpire judges he could NOT have made third despite the obstruction, and the runner tries for third but is put out, then the runner is out despite the Obstruction call at first base.
Common misunderstanding:
?Bases are awarded as a penalty for Obstruction.? Review the discussion of this in scenario #1 above.
Scenario #4: A fielder is at third making a must-tag play on a runner as the ball is being thrown to the player. The fielder is not blocking the runner?s access to the bag, but the throw is a little off and pulls the fielder into the baseline. The play is close, runner does not slide, and the runner and fielder collide resulting in a) the runner?s foot reaching the base before the fielder gets control of the ball, or b) the ball arriving first only slightly before the runner but being knocked out of the glove by the collision.
?Show Me the Rule?:
7.09 Any runner is out when -
(a) (3) the runner does not slide or attempt to get around a fielder who has the ball and is waiting to make a tag; (and the rest of 7.09 that cover Interference. It is not judged interference here unless there is intent, so in this case it is a no call.)
WHAT?S THE CALL IN EACH CASE? Actually, as long as there is no intent to interfere with the play by the runner, both cases result in the same call, which is a no call. However, in the judgment of the umpire, if the fielder receives the ball significantly ahead of the runner?s arrival (in case B), the runner could be called out for Interference.
Common misunderstanding:
?The runner must slide on a close play or he/she is out.? There is no ?must-slide? rule, only that if the fielder is in possession of the ball and has time to wait to make the tag, the runner must choose to slide or try to avoid the tag, otherwise it can be called interference and the runner is out. (Example: a runner blatantly sliding or running into a second baseman trying to finish a double play to first base , or intentionally collides with the fielder to try to knock the ball loose. NOTE: This rule is different in MLB). If both the ball and the player are arriving at roughly the same time, there is little room to call interference unless the runner purposefully blocks or disrupts the ball from being caught. (NOTE: There is really no chance for an Obstruction call in this situation unless the fielder blocks access to the base, plate, or base path while NOT in possession of the ball.)
Scenario #5: There is a runner on first and there is a passed ball. As the catcher recovers the ball and goes to make the throw, the umpire is between him and the fielders.
?Show Me the Rule?:
2.0 Definition: Interference
(c) Umpire?s interference occurs (1) when an umpire hinders, impedes or prevents a catcher?s throw attempting to prevent a stolen base, or (2) when a fair ball touches an umpire on fair territory before passing a fielder. (e) On any interference the ball is dead.
WHAT?S THE CALL? Umpire interference, the ball is dead and the runner returns to first.
Common misunderstanding:
Not much room for misunderstanding on that one!
Scenario #6: Bonus question: When is a runner hit by an untouched, batted, fair ball NOT out?
?Show Me the Rule?:
7.08 Any runner is out when ? (f) touched by a fair ball in fair territory before the ball has touched or passed an infielder. The ball is dead and no runner may score, no runners may advance, except runners forced to advance;
EXCEPTION: If a runner is touching a base when touched by an Infield Fly, the runner is not out, although the batter is out.
Note 1: If a runner is touched by an Infield Fly when not touching a base, both runner and batter are out.
If two runners are touched by the same fair ball, only the first runner is out because the ball is instantly dead.
2.00 Definition: An Infield Fly is a fair ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when firs and second, or first, second, and third are occupied, before two are out. (Check your rule book for the rest of this?it is kind of long!)
7.09 It is interference by a batter or runner when ?
(m) a fair ball touches the batter or runner in fair territory before touching a fielder. If a fair ball goes through or by an infielder and touches a runner immediately back of said infielder, or touches the runner after having been deflected by a fielder, the umpire shall not declare the runner out for being touched by a batted ball. In making this decision, the umpire must be convinced that the ball passed through or by the infielder and that no other infielder had the chance to make a play on the ball. If in the judgment of the umpire, the runner deliberately and intentionally kicks such a batted ball on which the infielder has missed a play, then the runner shall be called out for interference.
In other words:
1) If the runner is on base and hit by an infield fly, he is not out, and
2) An example of another scenario might be: if the first baseman is playing in front of the baseline and the ball goes through his legs to hit the runner and there was no chance for the second baseman to make a play on the ball, the runner is not out unless he/she intentionally kicks that ball (I am sure you can imagine similar scenarios where this rule would also apply).
Common misunderstanding:
1) ?A batter hit by a batted ball who is standing on base in fair territory is not out.? Wrong, this is interference if a fielder has a play on the ball or the fielder is behind the runner who gets hit by a ball while standing on a base. NOTE: If the runner is hit by an Infield Fly and is off the base, both the runner and batter are out!
2) ?An Infield Fly is a dead ball.? This is incorrect. An infield fly is still live until ?Time? is called and runners may also advance at their own risk, though it would be pretty risky for them to do so!
I hope those were both entertaining and helpful.
If you have scenarios arise in your games that you would like me to address, please e-mail them to me at rick.killian@sbllbaseball.org. Thanks!
