After a batted ball has been touched (deflected) by an infielder, if the ball then strikes a runner (unintentionally on the part of the runner), it is alive and in play despite the fact that another infielder may be in position to field the ball.
Runner touched by a batted ball. As we said, any runner touched by a live batted ball has committed interference and is out. The ball is dead. The batter-runner is awarded first base (unless he is the one touched by the batted ball), and other runners advance only if forced.
If any member of the batting team (including the coaches) interferes with a fielder’s right of way to field a thrown ball, the runner on whom the play is being made shall be ruled out.
a. When a runner is called out for crashing into a fielder holding the ball, the ball becomes dead. Each runner must return to the last base touched at the time of interference.
If the umpire judges that a runner intentionally gets hit by a batted ball to break-up a DP, both the runner and the batter-runner are out under rule 6.01 (a) (6). No runner can advance or score on the play.
A fielder who is making a play on a batted ball is “protected” from interference by a base runner. In other words, the fielder gets the right-of-way in cases where a base runner converges on a fielder who is making a play on a batted ball.
The penalty for fan interference in baseball is the ball is ruled a dead ball and umpires will advance base runners to where they believe those base runners would have advanced to if the interference had not taken place. The fan responsible for the interference will usually be thrown out of the game.
The runner is out and the ball is dead. If the 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.
Is it a home run if you catch the ball and fall over the fence? If an outfielder catches the home run with one foot on or over the playing surface and maintains possession of the baseball then the batter is called out.
(2) When an umpire is struck by a thrown ball, the ball remains alive and in play; and (3) Whenever umpire interference is called on a base umpire, the batter gets credit for a base hit.
If in the judgment of an umpire, a runner is pushed or forced off a base by a fielder, intentionally or unintentionally, at which the runner would have otherwise been called safe, the umpire has the authority and discretion under the circumstances to return the runner to the base he was forced off following the …
According to Rule 7.09 (h), it is interference, if in the judgment of the umpire, the base coach at third or first base, by touching or holding the runner, physically assists the runner in returning to, or leaving third or first base is interfering with the runner.
MLB adopts rule on collisions at plate
In what both sides said was a one-year experiment, the rule allows collisions if the catcher has the ball and is blocking the runner’s direct path to home plate, and if the catcher goes into the basepath to field a throw to the plate.
Similar to a runner contacting a batted ball while standing on a base (discussed in last month’s article), the runner must intentionally contact the fielder making the play in order for interference to be called.
Definition. A dead ball is a ball that is out of play. The ruling of a dead ball halts the game and no plays can legally occur until the umpire resumes the game, though baserunners can advance as the result of acts that occurred while the ball was live.
There is identical prohibition on a runner sliding head-first while advancing (in the Major division and below) in both Little League Softball and Little League Baseball. The runner is out, and the ball remains live [(Rule 7.08(a)(4)].
When the Batter Is Running. If a batter hits the ball into fair territory, he must run to first base. However, if he makes contact with the ball while running to first base before a fielder touches the ball, the batter is out.
A player who dives unsuccessfully for a ground ball and remains on the ground, delaying the progress of a runner, could be guilty of obstruction, as could a first baseman who stands at the inside corner of first base despite it being clear that no play will be made at first, causing the batter to adjust his/her path to …
Blocking a portion of the bag with a foot is obstruction. You can change up this scenario in a dozens of ways, move it to any base, and you get the same result. The point is, a fielder without possession of the ball cannot deny access to a base to a runner advancing or retreating.
NFHS rules require the fielder to be in possession of the ball before attempting to block the base. The call for violating this rule is obstruction. NFHS 2-23-3: The fielder without possession of the ball denies access to the base the runner is attempting to achieve.
If you catch a milestone ball (or scrounge for it on the ground after the people next to you drop it) then you have, by law, every right to keep that ball. If you want to sell it for an easy buck, nobody should begrudge you of that.
According to the official MLB Rule Book under rule 9.02(e), “each umpire has authority at his discretion to eject from the playing field any spectator or other person not authorized to be on the playing field.”
It is the custom at major league baseball games that fans can keep all baseballs which are hit or thrown out of play into the spectator seating area.
One key distinction between interference and obstruction: Interference is defined as a violation of either the offense or the defense; obstruction can only be committed by the defense.
When a fielder throws his glove at a batted ball, it is a violation of baseball rule, 5.06(4)(C), the detached equipment rule. There is no penalty if the glove does not make contact with the ball but if the glove makes contact, all runners, including the batter runner are awarded three bases.