Last night in our Dixie Youth game, the following situation occured: We had runner on third, 0 outs, pitcher threw wild pitch. It hit a pole on the backstop and went 90 degrees in the other direction. Our batter backed out of the box, was 20-30 feet from home plate with his back turned to the catcher, and the catcher ran into him. The umpires called our batter out for interference. If this is true, what should our batter do?
2007-05-22 09:35:11 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
Yes it is interference. Your batter should stay in the batters box. As long as he is not the batters box he is ok. I know that if the runner from 3rd is going home the batter can take a couple of steps away, but not 20-30 feet.
2007-05-22 09:40:23 · answer #1 · answered by bobbydig21 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If he had stayed in the batter's box he could not have been called for interference. When he went 20-30 feet away from the plate and contacted the catcher then he was not in his proper position and just because his back was to the catcher the umpire can not know if his movement was intentional or accidental. The call was within the judgement of the umpire.
2007-05-22 09:44:29 · answer #2 · answered by lestermount 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
let's see......
1. batter was 20 - 30 ft. away from home plate.
2. batter was facing ball.
3.catcher was running towards ball. so ball must
have been then 25 - 35 ft. from home plate?
4.batter should have been instructed by base coach
as to which direction to move.
5. batters box belongs to batter.
6. batter had no reason to leave box. obviously, as far as
ball was, there would have been no play at the plate.
so.......
interference
2007-05-22 15:25:55 · answer #3 · answered by david g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That umpire is crazy. The batter was 20-30 feet away from home plate. That was just bad luck for the catcher. You batter should have hit the umpire with the bat.
2007-05-22 09:42:10 · answer #4 · answered by BP 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Yes, it is the batters job to see to it that he does not interfere with a fielder attempting to make a play. The batter should have located the ball, and removed himself from line of play the catcher needed to make a play. He cannot just move to an area or just stand there, he has to be sure not to impede the fielder in any way given the time he must have had to get out of the way.
2007-05-22 09:47:59 · answer #5 · answered by ahoenecke@verizon.net 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I do not have my rules book handy for direct references but here is the ruling.
The batter committed interference by hindering the fielder's opportunity to field the ball. That simple. Runner declared out batter remains at bat ( batter declared out if there are 2 outs when play begins).
The batter needs to read the carom and go the opposite way. I know of coaches who teach their kids to go to the ondeck circle opposite the carom to get out of the way of the play.
2007-05-23 03:15:56 · answer #6 · answered by david w 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Batter needs to stay in the box. However if the runner is scoring from 3rd, he needs to leave. If he leaves the box, he is in play and must avoid the defenders or it will be ruled interference.
2007-05-22 11:25:44 · answer #7 · answered by janeynbruce 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the batter should have been more alert to what was going on. If the catcher had the ball, it's still in play.
2007-05-22 09:42:37 · answer #8 · answered by Brian H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think your batter did just what he should have done. He backed away fron the plate possibly thinking there was going to be a play at home plate. I think the umpire was wrong. No interference.
2007-05-22 09:41:25 · answer #9 · answered by Wrestle Man 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
as long as ther batter didnt move toward the ball when it hit the pole he should have been fine
2007-05-22 09:38:43 · answer #10 · answered by jc 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋