Batter Interference Call (Base Stealing Situation)

Did you see the umpires huddle with the offensive coach after the call was made? I agree that since the batter was called out it should stand. Sounds like they just went with the "well the runner was out anyway" which is not the correct call.

The umpires did not confer with each other.  Offensive head coach asked as the next inning began, and HPU gave a confused and confusing answer. Defensive coach came to HPU after the walk, seeking to have the batter declared out.  HPU then declared that he would give the call on the field priority over the interference call. Made zero sense to me, but I was wondering if I were missing something.

5.1.ART. 2 . . . It is a delayed dead ball when: a. there is interference by a batter (Exception 7-3-5 PENALTY), 1. When the batter interferes with the catcher attempting to play on a runner, if an out does not result at the end of the catcher’s throw, the ball shall become dead immediately.

7.3.5  Batter shall not ... Interfere with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by:

c. making any other movement, including follow-through interference, which hinders actions at home plate or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner,

PENALTY: When there are two outs, the batter is out. When there are not two outs and the runner is advancing to home plate, if the runner is tagged out, the ball remains live and interference is ignored. Otherwise, the ball is dead and the runner is called out. When an attempt to put out a runner at any other base is unsuccessful, the batter is out and all runners must return to bases occupied at the time of the pitch. If the pitch is a third strike and in the umpire’s judgment interference prevents a possible double play (additional outs), two may be ruled out (8-4-2g).

Blue got this one right.   It is a delayed dead ball.   Since the out was made - the interference is ignored.

Just read you OP - as to batting out of order.   

ART. 2 . . . After the first inning, the first batter in each inning shall be the player whose name follows that of the last batter who completed his time at bat in the preceding inning. PENALTIES: For batting out of order (Arts. 1 and 2): 1. A batter shall be called out, on appeal, when he fails to bat in his proper turn and another batter completes a time at bat in his place. 2. When an improper batter becomes a runner or is put out and the defensive team appeals to the umpire before the first legal or illegal pitch, or, play or attempted play, or prior to an intentional base on balls or before the infielders leave the diamond if a half-inning is ending, the umpire shall declare the proper batter out and return all runners to the base occupied at the time of the pitch. 3. When an improper batter becomes a runner or is put out and a legal pitch or illegal pitch has been delivered to the succeeding batter, or an intentional base on balls has occurred, or all infielders have left the diamond if a half inning is ending, and before an appeal is made, the improper batter becomes the proper batter and the results of his time at bat become legal. 4. When the proper batter is called out because he has failed to bat in turn, the next batter shall be the batter whose name follows that of the proper batter thus called out. 5. When an improper batter becomes a proper batter because no appeal is properly made as above, the next batter shall be the batter whose name follows that of such legalized improper batter. The instant an improper batter’s actions are legalized, the batting order picks up with the name following that of the legalized improper batter. NOTE: When several players bat out of order before discovery so that a player’s time at bat occurs while he is a runner, such player remains on base, but he is NOT out as a batter.

In layman's terms.

If a batter is discovered to be batting out of order and has not completed his at bat - the correct batter replaces the incorrect batter at the plate and assumes the count at the time.

If the incorrect batter completes his at bat and the defense appeals before a play is made to the next batter (pitch - illegal pitch - pick off attempt appeal of another runner - etc) the batter who was supposed to have batted is declared out and all runners return to the original base.

If the incorrect batter completes his at bat and a subsequent play is made - then he becomes the legal batter and the game continues with the next batter in the lineup.

New Umpire,

In reading the rules you cite in your post, I don't come to the same conclusion you did.  The delayed dead ball situation provided for in 5.1 is explicitly subordinate to the exception for the penalty clause in 7.3.5.  Which means that if the penalty clause of 7.3.5 applies, you don't have a delayed dead ball.  Under that penalty clause of 7.3.5, when there are two outs the batter is out, period.

Reading the two rules together indicates that the delayed dead ball situation applies only if there were fewer than two outs when the pitch was thrown.

If you disagree, could you explain why?  Is there anything in the case book that illuminates this further?

Also Newbie, if that is so, then if I understand the out-of-order rule correctly, when the same batter walked in the following inning, he was batting in place of the guy who followed him in the order.  That following guy would be called out, the runner would be removed, and then the order should progress to the 2nd guy after the interferor in the order.  Is that right?

This is an interesting case. I got hung up on the beginning of the story when the HPU called interference in the batter. I see this a lot in HS (and younger games). One of the reasons it’s a decent risk to try and steal 3B when a RHH is batting is that the C needs to throw around the hitter. It’s not the responsibility of the hitter to move and give the C a clear throwing lane to 3B. The batters box belongs to the hitter - just like the base path belongs to the runner. I see a lot of IFs that obstruct the path of the baserunner and try to make it look like an “accident” and I (almost) never see it called.

@Midlo Dad posted:

New Umpire,

In reading the rules you cite in your post, I don't come to the same conclusion you did.  The delayed dead ball situation provided for in 5.1 is explicitly subordinate to the exception for the penalty clause in 7.3.5.  Which means that if the penalty clause of 7.3.5 applies, you don't have a delayed dead ball.  Under that penalty clause of 7.3.5, when there are two outs the batter is out, period.

Reading the two rules together indicates that the delayed dead ball situation applies only if there were fewer than two outs when the pitch was thrown.

If you disagree, could you explain why?  Is there anything in the case book that illuminates this further?

There is no penalty enforced in 7.3.5 because the out was made at third.   The penalty only comes into consideration if the result of the interference would have resulted in the runner safe at 3rd.   

"if an out does not result at the end of the catcher’s throw, the ball shall become dead immediately."

7.3.5 reads in part ... "When an attempt to put out a runner at any other base is unsuccessful, the batter is out and all runners must return to bases occupied at the time of the pitch"

The key here is the word "unsuccessful".   

2020 Case Book 7.3.5 Situation A:  With R2 going to 3rd B2 steps across home plate to hinder F2 who is fielding the ball or attempting to throw to third.

Ruling: If R2 is tagged out despite the hinderance, the interference is ignored, and with less than 2 outs, the ball remains live.  If R2 is not tagged out, B2 is declared out and when there are less than 2 outs  the ball becomes dead immediately and all runners return to the bases occupied at the time of the pitch.

I hope this helps.

I appreciate the citation.  I will study it.  I am concerned that something may have gotten lost in the ellipses.  Otherwise I am afraid I cannot agree with your reading of the rule.  The delayed dead ball provision is explicitly made inapplicable if the "PENALTY" clause applies, so you can't get back to the delayed dead ball provision via that PENALTY clause.  The PENALTY clause says if there were two outs when the play began, the batter is out, and since this was an explicit exception to the delayed dead ball provision in the first place, there never was a delayed dead ball.  Batter is out and inning ends.  The PENALTY clause has other provisions for when there were fewer than 2 outs, but those don't apply here.