June 2006
Play Question – Batter Interference?
SITUATION: B1 at bat with a three balls and two strikes count, B1 swings and misses at the next pitch which touches the ground before reaching F2. F2 misplays the ball and it rolls forward toward home plate. B1, in attempting to go to 1B, kicks the ball unintentionally and F2 is unable to make a play. Is this interference? Why, or why not?
RULING: In this situation, it is a dropped third strike because F2 failed to catch the ball before it touched the ground (Rule 8, Section 1 B), and the batter-runner is out for interfering with a dropped third strike (Rule 8, Section 2 F 6). Additionally, the definition of Interference is the act of an offensive player that impedes, hinders, or confuses a defensive player attempting to execute a play (Rule 1, INTERFERENCE). Therefore, if in the judgment of the umpire the batter-runner impeded or hindered F2 who had an opportunity to make a play, interference should be called, the ball becomes dead immediately, the batter-runner is declared out and any runners on base are returned to the base they had achieved at the time of the interference.
NOTE: The key to the batter-runner being declared out for interference is that the defensive player was unable to execute the play because the batter-runner kicked the ball. Intent by the batter-runner is of no consequence to whether interference is or is not called in this situation.
Play Question – Turn at Bat After Interference
SITUATION: Two outs and R1 on 1B, B2 hits a pop fly close to the foul line near 1B. R1 runs into F3 who is moving towards the pop fly to attempt a catch. The umpire rules “dead ball” and declares R1 out for interference. The pop fly hits the ground in fair territory then bounces foul before reaching 1B. Does the batter who hit the pop fly start the next inning at bat, or has their turn at bat been completed?
RULING: In this situation, the batter became a batter-runner when the pop fly was hit (Rule 1, TURN AT BAT) and R1 was correctly declared out for interference (Rule 8, Section 7 J 1). The batted ball touching the ground in fair territory and then bouncing into foul territory is of no consequence to this situation. B2 is credited with a fielder’s choice and B3 leads off the next inning.
NOTE: Rule 1, TURN AT BAT (page 59). A turn at bat begins when a player first enters the batter’s box and continues until the player is substituted for, put out, or becomes a batter-runner while at bat.
2006 National Exam Answers and References
Question |
Answer |
Rule Book References |
Case Book
References |
1 |
F |
Rule 1, Foul Tip |
|
2 |
F |
Rule 1 |
|
3 |
T |
Rule 3, Sec 5 E |
|
4 |
T |
Rule 3, Sec 2 E |
3.2.1 |
5 |
T |
Rule 3, Sec 4 / POE 4 |
3.4.1 |
6 |
F |
Rule 4, Sec 1 / POE 51 |
4.1.2 |
7 |
F |
Rule 4, Sec 6 EFFECT 2
POE 51 |
|
8 |
F |
Rule 5, Sec 11 B / POE 54 |
5.11.4 |
9 |
F |
Rule 6, Sec 2 FP / POE 40 |
|
10 |
T |
Rule 6, Sec 5 A / POE 40 |
|
11 |
F |
Rule 7, Sec 2 EFFECT 2 |
7.2.8 |
12 |
T |
Rule 7, Sec 4 B |
|
13 |
F |
Rule 7, Sec 6 K / POE 24 |
7.6.7 |
14 |
F |
Rule 7, Sec 6 P 1 EFFECT
POE 33 |
7.6.16 |
15 |
F |
Rule 8, Sec 1D 2 / POE 36 |
8.1.19 & 20 |
16 |
F |
Rule 8, Sec 2 J EFFECT |
|
17 |
T |
Rule 8, Sec 5 G EFFECT
POE 38 |
8.6.47 |
18 |
F |
Rule 8, Sec 5 B Exceptions
POE 36 |
|
19 |
T |
Rule 8, Sec 10 C / POE 13 |
8.11.4 |
20 |
T |
Rule 8, Sec 7 K / POE 33 |
8.8.45 |
21 |
C |
Rule 1 Altered Bat |
1.1 |
22 |
A |
Rule 7, Sec 6 P |
7.6.16 |
23 |
A |
Rule 1 Infield Fly |
8.2.27 |
24 |
C |
Rule 1 Force Out |
1.44 |
25 |
B |
Rule 3, Sec 1
Rule 7, Sec 6 C |
3.1.7 |
26 |
C |
Rule 4, Sec 1 D and 2 B |
4.6.7 |
27 |
C |
Rule 4, Sec 6 E |
4.6.8 |
28 |
D |
Rule 4, Sec 5 A and 6 E |
4.6.14 |
29 |
D |
Rule 5, Sec 12 |
5.12.1 |
30 |
D |
Rule 6FP, Sec 1-8 EFFECT C
Rule 6SP, Sec 1-7 EFFECT C |
6FP.6.10 |
31 |
D |
Rule 6FP, Sec 9
Rule 6SP, Sec 8 |
6FP.9.1 |
32 |
C |
Rule 6FP, Sec 3 J |
6FP.3 |
33 |
B |
Rule 6FP EFFECT 1-8 |
6FP.6.12 |
34 |
D |
Rule 6FP, Sect 1-8 EFFECT |
6FP.6.11 |
35 |
D |
Rule 7, Sec 2
Rule 1 Batting Order |
7.2.6 |
36 |
D |
Rule 7, Sec 4 G
Rule 8, Sec 7 D |
7.4.8 |
37 |
A |
Rule 7, Sec 6 D
Rule 1 Illegally Batted Ball |
7.6.3 |
38 |
B |
Rule 8, Sec 10 F Exceptions |
8.11.7 |
39 |
B |
Rule 8, Sec 2 F and 7 J (2)
Rule 1 Interference |
8.2.21 |
40 |
D |
Rule 8, Sec 2 E |
8.2.17B |
41 |
F |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
42 |
F |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
43 |
T |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
44 |
F |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
45 |
F |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
46 |
D |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
47 |
A |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
48 |
B |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
49 |
D |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
50 |
D |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
3SP |
T |
Rule 5, Sec 8 A Note A |
5.8.1 |
8SP |
F |
Rule 6SP, Sec 1 A / POE 40 |
|
9SP |
T |
Rule 7, Sec 5 B |
|
19SP |
F |
Rule 8, Sec 1 C 2 / POE 32 |
|
32SP |
C |
Rule 6SP, Sec 3 G |
6SP.3.8 |
33SP |
B |
Rule 6SP, Sec 1 B |
6SP.1.1 |
34SP |
C |
Rule 4, Sec 1 C (6) |
4.1.5 |
37SP |
A |
Rule 6SP, Sec 3 E |
6S.3.6 |
38SP |
B |
Rule 8, Sec 4 G |
8.4.5C |
44SP |
T |
Umpire Mechanics Manual |
|
Rule Clarifications and Plays Index
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