Scoring Baserunner interference

You said you're not disputing the play ... sounds like maybe somebody should have.

I believe in this scenario the baserunner who collided with the SS should be called out (not sent back to 2nd). And if the ump thought it could have been a double play (or thought the runner intentionally collided with the SS), THEN he calls the batter out as well.

Let's see what Scorekeeper and some of the others say.

As far as scoring it, OBR says that "A base hit shall not be scored ... when a runner is called out for interference with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball, unless in the scorer's judgment the batter runner would have been safe had the interference not occurred.

quote:

Originally posted by RPD:
You said you're not disputing the play ... sounds like maybe somebody should have.

I believe in this scenario the baserunner who collided with the SS should be called out (not sent back to 2nd). And if the ump thought it could have been a double play (or thought the runner intentionally collided with the SS), THEN he calls the batter out as well.

Let's see what Scorekeeper and some of the others say.

As far as scoring it, OBR says that "A base hit shall not be scored ... when a runner is called out for interference with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball, unless in the scorer's judgment the batter runner would have been safe had the interference not occurred.

That is correct RPD:

The runner who collided with SS is out by way of interference and the batter who hit the ball is charged with a fielders choice.

quote:

Originally posted by creeks:
Happened to night in our game. Runner on 2nd collides with SS trying to make a play on the ball. Runners safely reach 1st & 3rd. Umpire calls base runner interference, send runner back to 2nd and calls batter (on 1st) out. I'm not disputing the play, just questioning how we score it in the book.

Thanks
Buddy
Creeks Bears 9s

Let me start with my standard admonishment again. Its ever so much easier to give an answer to a rules question if ya know what rules the game is played under. In this particular case, it looks like its gonna be even more important.

I went to your web page and am only guessing, but it looks like you’re asking a question about a team of 9YO’s. It looks as though you and your league are doing a fantastic job of helping kid play the game, but I couldn’t find any indication about what rules you guys play under, and it could be a bunch of different ones.

This is only a suggestion, but I think you would be wise to include a tab on the web page where the rules could be seen.

If your boys play a lot of USSSA games, go to http://www.usssabaseball.org/content/reports/Baseball.Rules.Jan.19.pdf and get a copy.

Although it isn’t the most up to date rule book out there, it’s the newest they have. You’ll have to find the copy of OBR as published by the TSN all by yourself.

I also have to make another suggestion out of fairness to you, and please don’t you or anyone else take it the wrong way.

HSBBW is pretty much dedicated to HS and/or college ball. I think its great that you decided to make your post and encourage you to stick around because there’s a lot you can learn here for future reference. But in all honesty, although the folks here have all been through the lower levels and can answer most of your questions, there are other forums where pre-HS ball is the focus of the forum, and where more people would probably be able to answer you with up to date information.

This is not a commercial, but trying to get you to a place where there are thousands of other folks playing at the level you are. http://www.infosports.com/baseball/ is one of those, and http://eteamz.active.com/baseball/boards/baseball/ is another.

Now to try to help you with your question. In all honesty, I have to admit that I’m one of the world’s worst authorities on interference/obstruction, and very seldom comment on either of them. But, in this case, what the rule is, was, should be, or should have been, really makes no difference. The call was the call, and that’s what you have to mark in the book.

Let’s break down what happened.

It looks like there was a runner on 2nd when the play started. Assuming that’s true, he collided with the SS who was trying to field a batted ball. When the play looked over, there were runners on 1st and 3rd.

Then the ump sent the runner on 3rd back to 2nd, and called the runner on 1st, the original batter, out because of runner interference.

Forget whether or not the call was correct or not, as you did. That isn’t a job of the SK. It’s the ump’s job.

In your book, if you had the runner move to 3rd, erase that line and show him back on 2nd.

Then mark the batter out on interference. If I were you, I’d put a note in there somewhere exactly what the situation was and who made the call, but as far as the official scoresheet goes, there is only a runner on 2nd and the batter is marked as being out.

I know that sounds wrong, but you have no choice.

If you are playing USSSA rules, there’s a ton of stuff in the PDF I referred you to about interference, FYI. But, it says nothing about what the OSK can or can’t do. For that you then have to go to OBR as published by TSN, but I’ll save you the trouble and show you what the “REAL” OBR says about it.

[1]2006 OBR 10.01(b)(4) The scorer shall not make any decision conflicting with the Official Playing Rules, or with an umpire’s decision.

Hope that takes care of it for you.

For RPD and TigerParent, trust me, unless there’s something really wild and off base, you guys are welcome to every interference/obstruction question that comes up! I want no part of those things.

My opinion on this one is that y’all are correct, that the ump muffed the call, but even then, it’s the coach’s job to protest what went on. Us poor SK’s can only sit there and answer questions the ump has, not dictate what else goes on in a situation like that.

I usually take that opportunity to head to the restroom so I’m not involved at all, then I’ll talk to the ump between innings to find out what the heck went on.

Thanks for the replies,

Scorekeeper, I asked this here as we were, in this game playing AAU rules, with a HS ump.

I'm also the webmaster for our club, we don't post a listing of rules because it depends on where/who we play what rules are played. We play AAU, USSSA, and some open events.

quote:

Originally posted by creeks:
Scorekeeper, I asked this here as we were, in this game playing AAU rules, with a HS ump.
Now that’ I’ve looked it up to see that AAU uses NFHS, it makes more sense to me.

The official rules of the AAU Baseball Program shall be the "2006 High School Baseball Rules" as published by the National Federation of State High School Associations except where modified.

I hope this makes it more apparent to people about why I get so uptight about using the correct book.

What sense does it make for the organizations who cater to 9YO’s FI, to be using so many different rule sets? AAU(modified NFHS), USSA(Modified OBR as published by TSN), LL Inc., CR, and prolly a hundred local leagues that have their own rule books.

ITS CRAZY!

I'm also the webmaster for our club, we don't post a listing of rules because it depends on where/who we play what rules are played. We play AAU, USSSA, and some open events.
I understand that it’s a lot of trouble, but you should be able to easily put links to the various rule sets on the site, then just refer to the appropriate rules for any scheduled event.