MS High School batters interference rules question

[Leeshouldveflanked]

In a HS game I was at last week.... no outs, runner on first... hit and run attempt, base runner takes off to second on pitch delivery to plate, batter swings thru pitch and hits catcher in follow through... ump calls interference... who’s out? Batter or runner?

 

[patdog]

Batter is out. Runner returns to 1st.

 

[karlchilders.sixpack]

Thought so too,

but he said on the follow thru.

Need more detail.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

Ump called the runner out.... batter got to finish his at bat.... all the info I could find ie Umpires Bible say dead ball, batter out, runner returns to first, but evidently the rule is different in High School.

 

[DawgNsuds]

Just asked a MS High School Coach who has been around a long time, said batter is out, runner returns. Sounds like ump blew the call

 

[Drebin]

In this particular scenario, the runner should have been out and the batter continues the at-bat, in my opinion. Hitters catch the catcher on follow through all the time and that's not a violation. In this case it impacted the ability of the catcher to throw out the baserunner.

 

[thekimmer]

In this particular scenario, the runner should have been out and the batter continues the at-bat, in my opinion. Hitters catch the catcher on follow through all the time and that's not a violation. In this case it impacted the ability of the catcher to throw out the baserunner.

This from MLB rulebook

6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when—

(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.

Rule 6.06(c) Comment: 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.

Looks like a judgement call as to whether or not it was intentional. If deemed intentional batter out, runners back. Unintentional, strike called, runners back, AB continues unless strike 3.

 

[Drebin]

This from MLB rulebook

6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when—

(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.

Rule 6.06(c) Comment: 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.

Looks like a judgement call as to whether or not it was intentional. If intentional batter out, runners back. Unintentional, strike called runners back.

Thanks for sharing the rule. Of course, that's at the MLB level.

I just talked to a buddy who's a high school umpire and he said they blew the call....the batter should have been out and the runner should have to go back to first. The reasoning he said is that you can't assume the runner would have been thrown out at second. Instead, you penalize the batter for taking away the opportunity to throw out the runner.

 

[NWADawg]

In a HS game I was at last week.... no outs, runner on first... hit and run attempt, base runner takes off to second on pitch delivery to plate, batter swings thru pitch and hits catcher in follow through... ump calls interference... who’s out? Batter or runner?

My question would be about the follow through of the swing. My understanding of the interference call is - the batter is allowed to complete their swing and incidental contact in the follow through of a normal swing would not be considered interference. Interference should only be called when a controllable action, or lack of action, impacts another players ability to complete the play.

 

[thekimmer]

My question would be about the follow through of the swing. My understanding of the interference call is - the batter is allowed to complete their swing and incidental contact in the follow through of a normal swing would not be considered interference. Interference should only be called when a controllable action, or lack of action, impacts another players ability to complete the play.

According to MLB rule if such contact on a follow through is deemed inadvertent batter is not out but runners still cannot advance. That makes sense at any level.

 

[Leeshouldveflanked]

It was a normal swing... our coach likes to put on hit and runs.... my son was base runner (a very fast one at that), got a good jump and easily had base stolen even if no swing by a batter, batter swung at pitch- high fastball because hit and run was put on, missed and hit catchers glove on follow thru, catcher was raising up as well. Ump called interference, dead ball, runner out... never seen it called that way before... 10 minute argument ensued with both umps and both teams coaches...the argument was the rule is different in HS than College or MLB. But I couldn’t find it.

 

[thekimmer]

It was a normal swing... our coach likes to put on hit and runs.... my son was base runner (a very fast one at that), got a good jump and easily had base stolen even if no swing by a batter, batter swung at pitch- high fastball because hit and run was put on, missed and hit catchers glove on follow thru, catcher was raising up as well. Ump called interference, dead ball, runner out... never seen it called that way before... 10 minute argument ensued with both umps and both teams coaches...the argument was the rule is different in HS than College or MLB. But I couldn’t find it.

3 - Backswing interference

When a batter swings at a pitch and the momentum of his swing brings the bat around and hits the catcher, or more commonly, the catcher's mitt, this is backswing interference. It's sometimes referred to as "weak interference." When backswing interference happens, you must kill the ball ("Time!") and return runners (if any are in motion) to their time-of-pitch base. However, no one is called out.
Rules Variation: High school (NFHS) rules differ on this point. NHFS rule 7-3-5c penalizes backswing interference (FED uses the term "follow-through interference") when it interferes with a catcher's attempt to retire a base runner. See NHFS rule 7-3-5-Penalty for more information.

7-3-5 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).

Looks like HS rules are batter out, runners return unless the runner was attempting to steal home. Call was incorrect.

 

[dawgman.sixpack]

the reason

It was a normal swing... our coach likes to put on hit and runs.... my son was base runner (a very fast one at that), got a good jump and easily had base stolen even if no swing by a batter, batter swung at pitch- high fastball because hit and run was put on, missed and hit catchers glove on follow thru, catcher was raising up as well. Ump called interference, dead ball, runner out... never seen it called that way before... 10 minute argument ensued with both umps and both teams coaches...the argument was the rule is different in HS than College or MLB. But I couldn’t find it.

you could not find it is because typically the rule book for HS, USSSA, AAU, etc usually go by the same subheadings as MLB with a disclaimer at the beginning of each which states something to the extent that "subject to the exceptions noted below the rules of MLB are in effect." The exceptions are then noted below.