Batter Interference…Know the Difference
By Greg McEvoy
Forward
This article has two goals:
- Review some key components within a Batter Interference call
- Promote umpire’s awareness to look at the Entirety of Action (EA) before making your call. (other EA examples include Illegal Slide, Obstruction, etc.)
In this Batter Interference play, your call will be influenced by multiple factors like:
- number of strikes on the batter
- did F2 make an attempt for a putout
- if multiple runners, who was the attempt made upon
- is F2 contact with the batter a requirement
Observing the Entirety of Action (EA) will help ensure you get the call right.
Introduction
Interference is a violation against the offense to include Batter Interference, Batter Runner Interference, Runner Interference and Coach Interference. When a batter interferes with F2’s attempt to play on a runner stealing, there are several components of the play that affect the play’s outcome to include:
- Delayed vs. Immediate dead ball
- Actual attempt for a putout
- Contact vs. no contact
- Number of strikes on the Batter
- Single vs. multiple Runners
- Next Batter
Situation
- R1 stealing second
- Batter swings and misses the pitch
Umpiring Components of the Play
There is ALWAYS an out…somewhere – on the Batter, on the runner played upon or if uncertain, on the runner closest to home. And, we must know is this play a delayed or immediate dead ball.
Batter Interference is a delayed deal ball.
- Intended to afford the defense the opportunity to put-out a runner…at any base
- Prevent the offense from gaining an unfair advantage, protecting a runner’s unearned advance by sacrificing an out on the batter
- Ball becomes dead if an out does not result from the direct throw
Attempt for Putout
- A throw is not required, just an attempt. Without an attempt, there is no interference
Contact
- Contact not required, a batter could interfere by altering F2’s actions
Strike Count – With TWO strikes on the batter
- Batter Interference is acknowledged on third strike call
- Batter out on strikes (not interference); therefore, a runner shall be declared out
Strike Count – With LESS THAN TWO strikes
- If runner is put out, batter remains at bat; interference is ignored
- If runner is safe at 2nd, batter is declared out and runner(s) must return
Single vs. Multiple Runners
- If the umpire is uncertain who would have been played upon, the runner closest to home shall be called out; or
Next Batter
- If stealing runner is declared out, batter interference is ignored, batter remains at bat
- If batter strikes out, the next batter is the next player in the lineup
Rule References
Rule 2-21 SECTION 21 INTERFERENCE – OFFENSIVE, UMPIRE, SPECTATOR, ART. 1 … Offensive interference is an act (physical or verbal) by the team at bat:
a. which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play; or
Rule 5-1 ART 2 ART. 2 … It is a delayed dead ball when:
a. there is interference by a batter (Exception 7-3-5 Penalty),
1. When the batter interferes with the catcher attempting to play on a runner, if an out does not result at the end of the catcher’s throw, the ball shall become dead immediately.
Rule 7-3-5 ART. 5 … Interfere with the catcher’s fielding or throwing by:
a. leaning over home plate,
b. stepping out of the batter’s box,
c. making any other movement, including follow-through interference, which hinders actions at home plate or the catcher’s attempt to play on a runner; or
d. failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate a congested area when there is a throw to home plate and there is time for the batter to move away.
PENALTY: When there are two outs, the batter is out. When there are not two outs and the runner is advancing to home plate, if the runner is tagged out, the ball remains live and interference is ignored. Otherwise, the ball is dead and the runner is called out. When an attempt to put out a runner at any other base is unsuccessful, the batter is out and all runners must return to bases occupied at the time of the pitch. If the pitch is a third strike and in the umpire’s judgment interference prevents a possible double play (additional outs), two may be ruled out. [8-4-2g, 8-4-21(1)]
Rule 8-4-ART2 g …If the umpire is uncertain who would have been played on, the runner closest to home shall be called out;