on a steal of home, what happens if-?

Question

This is the scenario- A runner is trying to steal home. The pitcher delivers to the plate. The batter swings at the ball and his bat makes contact with the catcher allowing the runner coming in from third to score. What's the call- stolen base? catcher's interference? batter's interference?
Revised scenario- the same facts as the above except that the pitcher steps off the rubber before delivering to home. Is this call any different?

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Answer 1

In the first scenario, in all likelihood we have interference on the catcher, in which case the runner scores and the batter is awarded first. The ball is dead. Any other runners stealing on the pitch advance one base. Otherwise, other runners stay.

If the batter wasn't swinging at the pitch and he just decided to thwack the catcher to prevent the catcher from playing on the runner, we have two possibilities: (1) With less than two outs, the runner is out; all other runners return to the bases occupied at the time of the pitch; (2) With two outs, the batter is out, no run scores.

In your revised scenario, the batter has committed interference, with the result as I describe in my preceding paragraph.

Answer 2

In your scenario, if the pitcher steps off the rubber, then the batter is out.

"6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when_
(a) He hits a ball with one or both feet on the ground entirely outside the batter's box. If a batter hits a ball fair or foul while out of the batter's box, he shall be called out. Umpires should pay particular attention to the position of the batter's feet if he attempts to hit the ball while he is being intentionally passed. A batter cannot jump or step out of the batter's box and hit the ball.
(b) He steps from one batter's box to the other while the pitcher is in position ready to pitch;
(c) He interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by stepping out of the batter's box or making any other movement that hinders the catcher's play at home base. EXCEPTION: Batter is not out if any runner attempting to advance is put out, or if runner trying to score is called out for batter's interference. If the batter interferes with the catcher, the plate umpire shall call "interference." The batter is out and the ball dead. No player may advance on such interference (offensive interference) and all runners must return to the last base that was, in the judgment of the umpire, legally touched at the time of the interference. If, however, the catcher makes a play and the runner attempting to advance is put out, it is to be assumed there was no actual interference and that runner is out_not the batter. Any other runners on the base at the time may advance as the ruling is that there is no actual interference if a runner is retired. In that case play proceeds just as if no violation had been called. If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and swings so hard he carries the bat all the way around and, in the umpire's judgment, unintentionally hits the catcher or the ball in back of him on the backswing before the catcher has securely held the ball, it shall be called a strike only (not interference). The ball will be dead, however, and no runner shall advance on the play. "

Answer 3

First: If the pitcher is "on" the rubber he is delivering a pitch to the batter. If the batter is in the batters box and swings and hits the catcher it is catcher's interference and the runner scores, batter to first base.
Second: If the pitcher steps "off" the rubber and throws to the catcher to try to get the runner, and batter swings, it is batter's interference. The catcher may jump out in front of the plate and in front of the batter to receive the thrown ball once the pitcher steps off the rubber. It's no different than the pitcher stepping off the rubber and throwing to third base to pick off the runner.

Answer 4

Scenario #1: Catcher's interference. The pitcher is making a pitch, therefore, the batter is entitled to swing. However, since contact was made with the catcher, the ball is dead, runners may not advance. (The exception is if the ball was put into play and then the manager can accept the results of the play.) Rule 6.08(c) and 6.08(c) comment.

Scenario #2: Batter's interference. The runner is out. The pitcher is now a fielder attempting to put out a baserunner. The hitter may not interfere with a catcher's attempt to field or catch a ball in play. Rule 6.06(c).

Answer 5

The first scenario is catchers interference and the batter would be awarded first base and the runner would go back to third base. The revised scenario would be batters interference for swinging at the pitch. Once the pitcher steps off the mound he is no longer delivering the pitch and becomes a defensive player trying to throw out a runner. The hitter interfered with the play by swinging the bat and he is out and the runner would go back to third base.

Answer 6

If the batter was taking a legitimate swing and stayed in the batter's box, then contact with the catcher is catcher's interference and the runner would be allowed to score, but not credited with a stolen base. Also the batter would be awarded first base.
No change if the pitcher stepped off the rubber, that just removed the potential for a balk, which would have also allowed the runner to score.

Answer 7

Lorenzo is wrong. If the pitcher steeped off the rubber and throws home the batter can not swing because it is not a pitch therefor eliminating the possibility of catcher interference.

Answer 8

It would be catcher's interference...the batter goes to first, and the runner goes back to third. If the pitcher steps off the rubber...the runner goes back to third and the umpire will call a ball for the pitch.

Answer 9

Lorenzo is right on.