Another rule question

General Pitching Topics
#1

Sorry if this post isn’t in the right spot - but I’ll ask it anyways and leave it to the moderators to move it.

On Saturday we were playing a game we had bases loaded with one out.

The batter hit a ball that the pitcher hit with his glove (it was hit kind of hard but he wasn’t just stabbing at the ball to protect himself) and deflected. The deflection hit the baserunner going from 1st to 2nd. The field umpire called the runner out - but let the run score from third. Our coach didn’t ask the field umpire to ask for help from the home plate umpire so the call wasn’t overruled.

Should the runner going from first to second have been out. Is the pitcher considered a fielder after he pitches the ball and since the ball was deflected by him & he had the chance to field it -should the runner had been called out for interference? I always thought the pitcher was a fielder after he pitched the ball and since it came back to him and he had the chance - there shouldn’t have been an interference call made? It cost us a since it would have been 1 out with bases stilll loaded.

#2

the runner is out for interference automatically and yes the pitcher is a fielder after he pitches theball so yeah the ump made the right call

#3

A fair ball touches him on fair territory before touching a fielder. If a fair ball goes through, or by, an infielder, and touches a runner immediately back of him, or touches the runner after having been deflected by a fielder, the umpire shall not declare the runner out for being touched by a batted ball. In making such decision the umpire must be convinced that the ball passed through, or by, the fielder, and that no other infielder had the chance to make a play on the ball. If, in the judgment of the umpire, the runner deliberately and intentionally kicks such a batted ball on which the infielder has missed a play, then the runner shall be called out for interference.

#4

Papibon… has made the call.

Excellent question.

Here’s a situation that happened during an pre-season game… similar to yours… about a runner getting hit with the ball…

Our man was on second and no outs. Our guy at bat pop’d a high fly right over the pitcher’s head and it was drifting with the wind… when the base umpire echo’d the home plate umpire’s call… INFIELD FLY…INFIELD FLY!!! BATTER’S OUT!

Our man on second was standing on the bag… fooling around with some gestures with the guys in our dugout when… BINGO… right off the ole bean. I mean this fly ball coming down couldn’t have hit him any more square on the top of head than if it was drop’d with a bomb sight.

Well, needles to say it was a shock to the base runner — which immediately grab’d his head and fell to the ground… off the bag…

The second baseman seeing that the baserunner was off the bag… spreadout like a peice of limp broccoli … tag’d-em!

Now you make the call… safe or out!

Coach B.

#5

He was safe until he left the bag (Unless he got time on the way down)…but runners had to be on 1st AND 2nd with less than 2 out. Runners advance at their own risk. It is why when you lead off from third you do so in foul ground so the liner that smacks you doesn’t make you out AND in pain. The ball wasn’t dead even if he thought he was…he would have been immediately out if he’d been off of the bag.

#6

the ball is dead if it hits him while on the bag.

#7

I’ve been wrong before…just ask my wife :smiley:

#8

JD was quick to point out the rules error by the umpires… both of which incorrectly called INFIELD FLY…INFIELD FLY!!!

In this particular situation… since a vocal call by the umpires declaring the BATTER OUT… and play coming to a halt (yeah I know, I didn’t mention that.) the CALL error dictated all play after that.

In this case, the umpire in cheif (plate umpire) delcared the call null and void… the batter was awarded first base… the runner on second was help’d to his feet … dusted off, and play resumed. (he was not out)

However, what happened after that really amazed me… especially at that level of play … semi pro ball. And here’s what happen:
…The infielders jumped up and down and demanded that that the runner on second was out because he left the bag inspite of hearing INFIELD FLY…and … they contested that … IF A BASE RUNNER LEAVES THE BAG AFTER AN INFIELD FLY WAS CALLED HE DOES SO AT HIS OWN PERIL!!
Which is right of course… but nobody could convince them that the call was wrong… and hence…in the umpire’s judgement… things had to be put in place… that they (umpires) felt… WOULD HAVE BEEN if the call was was not made. In their opinion… the batter would not have stop’d up the first base line, the runner on second would have not stood on second and ignored the play… and the infielders did not pursue the play further. (in this instance)

We had a great umpire crew that night… reasonable… and able to apply a lot of common sence to the game.

And our club lost lost big time that night… but still… those @#$%!!@Z!! umpires were ok.

Coach B.