Rules Question

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dmarx114
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Re: Rules Question

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Famous Mortimer wrote:
May 2 17, 9:03 am
Leroy wrote:The way I've seen it, the catcher has to guzzle a pitcher and the outfielders need to do jello shots.

It may be an unwritten rule though.
That's the sort of unwritten rule I can get behind.

5.09(f) and 7.08(f) - a runner hit by a batted ball is out, everyone else stays where they are, batter is awarded first (so they'd move up anyway, in your example). St least that's what http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/official_info/um ... eature=qa2 is seemingly saying.
This is correct. The runner on 3rd should be declared out, the runners on 1st and 2nd advance to 2nd and 3rd, and the batter reaches first base on a single.

My daughter played in a softball tournament where this happened, and the umpire (and all coaches) got the rule wrong. They seemed to think that if you are on a base, and the ball hits you, you are safe. This is wrong.

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Joe Shlabotnik
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Re: Rules Question

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Exception: If the ball was In foul territory when it hit the runner standing on third, it's just a foul ball.

AWvsCBsteeeerike3
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Re: Rules Question

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Here's one:

Ball is hit down the first base line, first baseman somewhat bobbles it, picks it up and has a second or so before the runner gets to him. The runner, with one foot in fair territory and one foot in foul territory truck sticks the first baseman and knocks the ball out.

Is that legal?

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Re: Rules Question

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AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
April 27 21, 7:48 pm
Here's one:

Ball is hit down the first base line, first baseman somewhat bobbles it, picks it up and has a second or so before the runner gets to him. The runner, with one foot in fair territory and one foot in foul territory truck sticks the first baseman and knocks the ball out.

Is that legal?
What code? OBR (pro), NFHS (high school), or little league?

OBR, depends on how blatant and if the runner was running at the bag or at the first baseman, IMO. NFHS and LL, I've got at least interference (runner out) and, depending on circumstances, maybe malicious contact which is a warning or, if it is blatant enough, an ejection.

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Re: Rules Question

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Joe Shlabotnik wrote:
April 27 21, 8:55 pm
AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
April 27 21, 7:48 pm
Here's one:

Ball is hit down the first base line, first baseman somewhat bobbles it, picks it up and has a second or so before the runner gets to him. The runner, with one foot in fair territory and one foot in foul territory truck sticks the first baseman and knocks the ball out.

Is that legal?
What code? OBR (pro), NFHS (high school), or little league?

OBR, depends on how blatant and if the runner was running at the bag or at the first baseman, IMO. NFHS and LL, I've got at least interference (runner out) and, depending on circumstances, maybe malicious contact which is a warning or, if it is blatant enough, an ejection.
Yeah, I looked up the LL rules and found this:
Runners may not leave base until the ball has been hit by the batter. If a runner leaves a base
prior to the ball being batted, the runner is at risk of an out. If not put out, the runner or runners
must return to the original base or bases, or to the unoccupied base nearest the one left early.

Runners may advance on a batted ball unless called a foul ball.

Runners should be taught to avoid a tag by sliding. Umpires will enforce the contact rule.
Contact deemed malicious by an umpire will result in an out and a player ejection. Player safety
and proper instruction takes precedence over wins and losses.

Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat that interferes with, obstructs, impedes,
hinders, or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play. If an umpire declares the batter,
batter-runner, or a runner out for interference, all other runners shall return to the last base that
was, in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference, unless
otherwise provided by these rules. In the event the batter-runner has not reached first base, all
runners shall return to the base last occupied at the time of the pitch.
It was probably malicious, but even if not, it should have been an out due to the no contact rule. Any rule I can find wrt to baserunning always talks about sliding, though you obviously can't do that 3/4 of the way to 1st.

Where I get confused is with interference on a tag play. If, say, a runner is running to 1st and there is a collision while the pitcher is attempting to field the ball, that's offensive interference because the position player has the right to field the ball.

I think it's the same thing for a 2nd basemen trying to field a ground ball and a runner going from 1st to 2nd runs into him....though I'm not sure.

Another nuance I'm not sure of is in the same situation, if a runner is going from 1st to 2nd and the 2nd basemen is behind the baserunner, how much leeway does the runner have to get in front of the fielder? Running in a straight line, head down, and jumping over the groundball is permissible as I understand it, but stopping and letting the groundball go through the runners legs is interference?

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Re: Rules Question

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AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
April 27 21, 9:07 pm

Where I get confused is with interference on a tag play. If, say, a runner is running to 1st and there is a collision while the pitcher is attempting to field the ball, that's offensive interference because the position player has the right to field the ball.

I think it's the same thing for a 2nd basemen trying to field a ground ball and a runner going from 1st to 2nd runs into him....though I'm not sure.

Another nuance I'm not sure of is in the same situation, if a runner is going from 1st to 2nd and the 2nd basemen is behind the baserunner, how much leeway does the runner have to get in front of the fielder? Running in a straight line, head down, and jumping over the groundball is permissible as I understand it, but stopping and letting the groundball go through the runners legs is interference?
At all levels, a runner colliding with a fielder in the act of fielding is out for interference, ball is dead. It can get messy because only one fielder is protected and an umpire has to make a split second decision sometimes on which fielder that is.

In the case of a fielder behind a runner as the runner passes - it varies both on intent of the runner and the level of play.

At all levels, if in the umpire's judgement, the runner is slowing down, going even a little out of their way, or doing anything with the intent to hinder the fielder, they should call the interference and kill the play.

If the runner is running straight for the next base, then it varies by level on how much leeway to give the fielder. In LL, a runner cutting directly in front of the fielder while the ball is being fielded without making some movement to avoid the ball might get called for INT. But by JV or Varsity, if the ball doesn't hit the runner and the runner doesn't hit the fielder, it's nothing, play on.

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Re: Rules Question

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Joe Shlabotnik wrote:
April 27 21, 9:23 pm
AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
April 27 21, 9:07 pm

Where I get confused is with interference on a tag play. If, say, a runner is running to 1st and there is a collision while the pitcher is attempting to field the ball, that's offensive interference because the position player has the right to field the ball.

I think it's the same thing for a 2nd basemen trying to field a ground ball and a runner going from 1st to 2nd runs into him....though I'm not sure.

Another nuance I'm not sure of is in the same situation, if a runner is going from 1st to 2nd and the 2nd basemen is behind the baserunner, how much leeway does the runner have to get in front of the fielder? Running in a straight line, head down, and jumping over the groundball is permissible as I understand it, but stopping and letting the groundball go through the runners legs is interference?
At all levels, a runner colliding with a fielder in the act of fielding is out for interference, ball is dead. It can get messy because only one fielder is protected and an umpire has to make a split second decision sometimes on which fielder that is.

In the case of a fielder behind a runner as the runner passes - it varies both on intent of the runner and the level of play.

At all levels, if in the umpire's judgement, the runner is slowing down, going even a little out of their way, or doing anything with the intent to hinder the fielder, they should call the interference and kill the play.

If the runner is running straight for the next base, then it varies by level on how much leeway to give the fielder. In LL, a runner cutting directly in front of the fielder while the ball is being fielded without making some movement to avoid the ball might get called for INT. But by JV or Varsity, if the ball doesn't hit the runner and the runner doesn't hit the fielder, it's nothing, play on.
It's interesting only one fielder is protected. Which rule takes precedence if you have a pitcher and first basemen both collide with a runner as they're both trying to make a play on a ball down the first base line?

Also, what is the rule if a, let's say, shallow left-CFer makes a catch at the edge of the IF on the SS side of 2nd. A runner originating on 2nd has to get back to avoid being doubled off. He's running back and the LCFer goes to tag him but the runner does not slide (as he's in between bases) and instead runs into the LCFer causing the ball to drop? I guess it would depend on the little league rules and if there's a no contact rule, the runner is out?

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Re: Rules Question

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AWvsCBsteeeerike3 wrote:
April 27 21, 10:09 pm

It's interesting only one fielder is protected. Which rule takes precedence if you have a pitcher and first basemen both collide with a runner as they're both trying to make a play on a ball down the first base line?
1) which fielder is protected? 2) who hit who first? 3) who tried to avoid? 4) who used intent to interfere or obstruct? 5) who used malicious contact? All those have to be answered and all are the umpire's judgement.
Also, what is the rule if a, let's say, shallow left-CFer makes a catch at the edge of the IF on the SS side of 2nd. A runner originating on 2nd has to get back to avoid being doubled off. He's running back and the LCFer goes to tag him but the runner does not slide (as he's in between bases) and instead runs into the LCFer causing the ball to drop? I guess it would depend on the little league rules and if there's a no contact rule, the runner is out?
If this is LL, I don't think the contact rule (7.08a3) is applicable. The fielder has to be 'waiting to make the tag' in 7.08a3. From your description the fielder and the runner are both running. In that case what you have is baseball. Runner safe. Unless the runner intentionally dislodged the ball.

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Re: Rules Question

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Many thanks, Joe.

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Re: Rules Question

Post by AWvsCBsteeeerike3 »

Kind of along the same lines, here's a defensive interference along the 1st base line, allegedly.

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