Catcher Interference

The runner would get the next base only if he was running on the pitch or forced by the batter's award.

BTW: The call was not correct. The batter should have been awarded 1st base.

To make it clearer: The runner certainly can advance at his own risk, but only if the penalty is not enforced.

Catcher's interference (it's really obstruction) is a delayed dead ball (i.e., the ball stays live). If the batter reaches 1st base, and all other runners advance at least one base, the CO is ignored. If not, the umpire should call time when playing action ends, and enforce the penalty. The batter gets 1st, and any runner stealing or forced by the batter's award gets his next base.

The coach or captain has the option of declining the penalty and taking the result of the play, but it is up to them to know that. I don't coach them.

sounded familiar 72....

Dash has it....

The crew enforced the obstruction, so the Batter/runner should get first and the runner on second since he was neither stealing nor forced, should have been returned to second....

thanks for the clarification, as always you guys are awesome!

Lion Pop
u must have been watching another game
the batter was awarded first base and the runner was returned to second, where he was at the time of the pitch.

Are there any other plays in baseball where the "victim" has the choice between the play or enforcing the penalty? I believe this is the only one, right?

quote:

Originally posted by schwammi:
Are there any other plays in baseball where the "victim" has the choice between the play or enforcing the penalty? I believe this is the only one, right?

another is if an illegal piece of equipment (glove or bat) is discovered. the offended team may take the result of the play or enforce the penalty, iirc.

quote:

Lion Pop
u must have been watching another game
the batter was awarded first base and the runner was returned to second, where he was at the time of the pitch.

Yes, sorry. I was just tring to understand the ruling on the base runner. I knew the ruling for the hitter and knew he took first. (Didn't do a good job painting the entire picture, my bad)

Here is an interesting sidebar to this issue I believe. I was recently told that as the umpire, in the case of the catcher interference, the umpire is not to offer to the team "Do you want the play, or the penalty?" I was told that they have to request it without prompting. What do you guys think about that? (Meanwhile I will try to find out exactly where I got this) Doesn't make sense to me, but would like some input on it.

That is true at the professional level, they are supposed to know. At college down you give the option. Think of it this way, if as umpires we have to discuss whether there is an option or not, we can't expect the coaches to know.

I have seen catcher's interference at least a dozen times over the last few years as we seemed to play a lot of northern teams getting their first action on the big field and having catchers set up too shallow.

Several times, we put the ball in play and even got a couple of hits, but every time the umpire called a dead ball before the completion of the play.

Since it happened about 5 times on the same club team over a two month span, we had researched the rule and even appealed a game once. In the case we appealed, hitter legged out a double, the defense threw the ball away and everyone moved up. The HPU stood there the whole time with his arms up in the 'dead ball' position, but nobody heard him say anything until the play was over. Obviously the defense kept playing. The BU was running around covering bases, as he obviously didn't hear anything either. I figured he was letting the play finish, so when it was done, I went out and said I'd like to take the play. He told me to get back in the dugout, there was no play, it was CI and he'd called the ball dead. The BU came over, HPU said he had dead ball, so they sent everyone back and I appealed. On appeal, they said I was correct but since the ball was called dead they weren't going to penalize the defense for not playing it out. Since we'd just be putting the runners back to where they were placed originally, there was no advantage gained from the appeal. It was a pool game so I let it go. At least they gave me my $50 back...

I think this call (CI when ball is put in play) is made incorrectly more than 75% of the time. Probably the only call I could say even comes close to this.

I don't inform them of the option, unless they ask, at any level (HS and up). The FED rule is specific that the coach or captain shall state whether he wants the penalty or the play, if the option is available (not always).

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
That is true at the professional level, they are supposed to know. At college down you give the option. Think of it this way, if as umpires we have to discuss whether there is an option or not, we can't expect the coaches to know.

Recently at the professional level, umpires have been instructed to give the team the most advantageous option unless the manager asks for the other option.

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
That is true at the professional level, they are supposed to know. At college down you give the option. Think of it this way, if as umpires we have to discuss whether there is an option or not, we can't expect the coaches to know.

Recently at the professional level, umpires have been instructed to give the team the most advantageous option unless the manager asks for the other option.

That surprises me, because the most advantageous option is not always obvious. At the last Evans clinic I attended ('07), we were told to enforce the penalty, if applicable, and let the coach elect to decline it and take the play. Is this a PBUC change? Thanks.

I still believe FED rules require the coach or captain, and not the umpire, to initiate the option.

quote:

Originally posted by dash_riprock:

quote:

Originally posted by Jimmy03:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael S. Taylor:
That is true at the professional level, they are supposed to know. At college down you give the option. Think of it this way, if as umpires we have to discuss whether there is an option or not, we can't expect the coaches to know.

Recently at the professional level, umpires have been instructed to give the team the most advantageous option unless the manager asks for the other option.

That surprises me, because the most advantageous option is not always obvious. At the last Evans clinic I attended ('07), we were told to enforce the penalty, if applicable, and let the coach elect to decline it and take the play. Is this a PBUC change? Thanks.

I still believe FED rules require the coach or captain, and not the umpire, to initiate the option.

Yez.