Cubs/Cardinals missed interference call

Holiday was just trying to breakup the double play. At most, he should have been called for a dirty slide but thankfully he isn't that kind of player and he went to just be able to break up the double play. The slide was very hard nosed but still clean and within the rules imho.

Is there any video of this anywhere? I found a still picture and it looked like Holliday was really not trying to reach the base and Castro was clear of the bag to the RF side. But I would rather see the play than one small piece of it.

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/ml...id=17462635&c_id=chc

@bigheat 27-42 Here is an excerpt from the official MLB rulebook:

"If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter-runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner."

This is exactly what Holliday did. He slid about three feet to the right of second base with the obvious intent of breaking up the double play (he kicked Castro in the shin and left a giant hole in his sock). He made no effort to touch second base, in fact, he didn't even begin his slide until he was almost even with it.

If that's not an interference call than what is?

Holliday in no way interfered with the second baseman. F4 was fielding the batted ball, not F6. So you've quoted an inapplicable rule.

Since this is the HSBBWEB, I'll add that in NFHS rules, this runner would be out, and so would the B/R, through application of the Force Play Slide Rule.

But this game wasn't played under high school rules.

@3FingeredGlove It seems you're right. I was assuming that Castro catching the ball from Barney would constitute fielding a ball.

My whole idea of double-play interference was based on that rule, so my whole argument is off the table haha.

That being said, does the MLB rulebook even mention this situation? I haven't been able to find it.

Rule 6.05(m) covers this situation. Additionally the Major League Baseball Umpire Manual offers guidelines to assist the umpire in deciding if interference occurred.

The batter is out if:
(m) A preceding runner shall, in the umpire’s judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play:
Rule 6.05(m) Comment: The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this is an umpire’s judgment play.

The MLBUM says: (in part; I'm not willing to type in everything)
In sliding to a base, the runner should be able to reach the base with his hand or foot.
....
Any definite change in direction by the runner to contact the fielder would be considered interference.
...
There's more concerning roll blocks, etc.

IMHO, they are all big boys and i am one of the type of fans and players who likes a little bit of hard nosed baseball as long as it is not trying to hurt another person. If a player is crowding the plate, back him off. If there is a chance you can break up a double play without hurting the guy, go for it. The one thing that got close to anything being hurt besides what happened after the not double play was castro's sock was torn.

The whole idea is Holliday was trying to break up the double play and he succesfully did that while still being able to touch the base and he kept his cleats low. If it was a busch league slide, then that's a different story. It was not a Busch League slide though. The call could have gone either way but i Personally believe it was hard nosed but not dirty. and hard nosed is not grounds for interference.

3FG nails the rulings....this would be interference in any code except MLB....

Quade got ejected for arguing this one with the umpires....MLB lets the big boys play a more physical game....

Clean legal play in MLB and MiLB.

I agree that it was called according to what is allowed at the MLB level. I personally believe they should tighten it up some. Because of TV replays they no longer give a neighborhood play, designed to protect infielders, so when you make no attempt at the base, you should get banged. If you actually touch the base and take him out, no problem. In this play he never even considered toouching the base, even though he was close enough to do so.