Is this a bunt or a balk?

quote:

Originally posted by RonBon:
This one may be easy for some of you but a coach and a half dozen baseball dads didn't know the call.

At my sons practice the other night we were having a intrasquad scrimmage. Working on scenarios with a runner on third, the coach calls for a bunt and has the runner on third break real early to distract the pitcher. The pitcher steps off the back of the rubber but seeing the runner is almost home, he throws home to the catcher. The batter then bunts that ball.

If F1 has legally disengaged, this is a throw and not a pitch. The batter has interfered with the throw.

In that case I assume the runner would not get the base?

What about the batter?

With less than 2 out, the runner is out. With 2 out, the batter is out.

quote:

Originally posted by dash_riprock:
With less than 2 out, the runner is out. With 2 out, the batter is out.

Why the difference here? Wouldn't it make more sense in just calling the batter out and putting the runner back on third? The batter is the one who committed the rules violation.

Or, after thinking about it, you get rid of the runner to punish the offense for breaking the rules - or am I just wrong here?

coach, I'm not sure, but I'm thinking if the batter is called out with less than two outs then the run scores...

BD19,

The run wouldn't score with less than two outs, even if the rules called the batter out. In general, with a few exceptions, runners return on any interference.

So why is the penalty different depending on the outs? It's not necessarily a reason, but consider that the rule, as written, extracts the maximum penalty on the offense. With two out, if the rule provided for the runner to be called out, the batter would lead off the next inning. The actual rule ensures that no matter how many outs, the runner at third can no longer score, and makes sure that the batter won't bat in the next inning.

quote:

So why is the penalty different depending on the outs? It's not necessarily a reason, but consider that the rule, as written, extracts the maximum penalty on the offense. With two out, if the rule provided for the runner to be called out, the batter would lead off the next inning. The actual rule ensures that no matter how many outs, the runner at third can no longer score, and makes sure that the batter won't bat in the next inning.

Thanks 3FG - this is pretty much what I was trying to say but you did a MUCH better job than I did.

This does make sense.

quote:

but consider that the rule, as written, extracts the maximum penalty on the offense. With two out, if the rule provided for the runner to be called out, the batter would lead off the next inning. The actual rule ensures that no matter how many outs, the runner at third can no longer score, and makes sure that the batter won't bat in the next inning.

absolutely correct.........