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6.05
A batter is out when
-- (a) His
fair or foul fly ball (other than a foul tip) is legally
caught by a fielder; Rule 6.05(a) Comment: A fielder
may reach into, but not step into, a dugout to make
a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall
be allowed. A fielder, in order to make a catch on
a foul ball nearing a dugout or other out-of-play
area (such as the stands), must have one or both feet
on or over the playing surface (including the lip
of the dugout) and neither foot on the ground inside
the dugout or in any other out-of-play area. Ball
is in play, unless the fielder, after making a legal
catch, falls into a dugout or other out-of-play area,
in which case the ball is dead. Status of runners
shall be as described in Rule 7.04(c) Comment.
(b) A third strike is legally caught by the catcher;
Rule 6.05(b) Comment: "Legally caught" means in the
catcher's glove before the ball touches the ground.
It is not legal if the ball lodges in his clothing
or paraphernalia; or if it touches the umpire and
is caught by the catcher on the rebound. If a foul-tip
first strikes the catcher's glove and then goes on
through and is caught by both hands against his body
or protector, before the ball touches the ground,
it is a strike, and if third strike, batter is out.
If smothered against his body or protector, it is
a catch provided the ball struck the catcher's glove
or hand first.
(c) A third strike is not caught by the catcher when
first base is occupied before two are out;
(d) He bunts foul on third strike;
(e) An Infield Fly is declared;
(f) He attempts to hit a third strike and the ball
touches him;
(g) His fair ball touches him before touching a fielder;
(h) After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat
hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The
ball is dead and no runners may advance. If the batter-runner
drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in
fair territory and, in the umpire's judgment, there
was no intention to interfere with the course of the
ball, the ball is alive and in play; Rule 6.05(h)
Comment: If a bat breaks and part of it is in fair
territory and is hit by a batted ball or part of it
hits a runner or fielder, play shall continue and
no interference be called. If batted ball hits part
of broken bat in foul territory, it is a foul ball.
If a whole bat is thrown into fair territory and interferes
with a defensive player attempting to make a play,
interference shall be called, whether intentional
or not. In cases where the batting helmet is accidentally
hit with a batted or thrown ball, the ball remains
in play the same as if it has not hit the helmet.
If a batted ball strikes a batting helmet or any other
object foreign to the natural ground while on foul
territory, it is a foul ball and the ball is dead.
If, in the umpire's judgment, there is intent on the
part of a baserunner to interfere with a batted or
thrown ball by dropping the helmet or throwing it
at the ball, then the runner would be out, the ball
dead and runners would return to last base legally
touched.
(i) After hitting or bunting a foul ball, he intentionally
deflects the course of the ball in any manner while
running to first base. The ball is dead and no runners
may advance;
(j) After a third strike or after he hits a fair ball,
he or first base is tagged before he touches first
base;
(k) In running the last half of the distance from
home base to first base, while the ball is being fielded
to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the
three-foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul
line, and in the umpire's judgment in so doing interferes
with the fielder taking the throw at first base, in
which case the ball is dead; except that he may run
outside (to the right of) the threefoot line or inside
(to the left of) the foul line to avoid a fielder
attempting to field a batted ball; Rule 6.05(k) Comment:
The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of
that lane and a batter- runner is required to have
both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines
marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to
exit the three-foot lane by means of a step, stride,
reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first
base for the sole purpose of touching first base.
(l) An infielder intentionally drops a fair fly ball
or line drive, with first, first and second, first
and third, or first, second and third base occupied
before two are out. The ball is dead and runner or
runners shall return to their original base or bases;
APPROVED RULING: In this situation, the batter is
not out if the infielder permits the ball to drop
untouched to the ground, except when the Infield Fly
rule applies.
(m)A preceding runner shall, in the umpire's judgment,
intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting
to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt
to complete any play: Rule 6.05(m) Comment: The objective
of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for
deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by
the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious
purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play,
rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this
is an umpire's judgment play.
(n) With two out, a runner on third base, and two
strikes on the batter, the runner attempts to steal
home base on a legal pitch and the ball touches the
runner in the batter's strike zone. The umpire shall
call "Strike Three," the batter is out and the run
shall not count; before two are out, the umpire shall
call "Strike Three," the ball is dead, and the run
counts.
INTERFERENCE CALLS REFERENCE
I believe interference
is the toughest call an umpire has to make. It is a
call based solely on the umpire's judgment. To make
a good judgment as to whether or not interference occurred,
the umpire must understand the definition as stated
in the rules so it can be recognized when it occurs.
After interference is called, the proper rule must be
applied.
The
definition as stated in Rule 2.00 is:
"(a)
Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat
which interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinders
or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play.
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.
In
the event the batter-runner has not reached first
base, all runners shall return to the base last occupied
at the time of the pitch.
(b)
Defensive interference is an act by a fielder which
hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch."
It
should be noted that (b) above is the only defensive
interference. Hindering the runner by the defense
is OBSTRUCTION.
How
do we interpret this rule? The key, is to focus on
the phrase "interferes with, obstructs, impedes,
hinders or confuses." Those words cover a lot
of actions. The umpire, after witnessing an act by
the offense must ask himself the following question;
"Did the offense interfere with, obstruct, impede,
hinder or confuse the fielder attempting to make the
play?" If the answer is yes, interference should
be called. The call must be made as soon as possible.
When interference is called the ball is immediately
dead and no runners may advance beyond the base they
held at the time of the interference. The umpire must
be aware of where all runners are at the time of the
call. When the interference occurs the umpire immediately
calls it. You do not wait to see the outcome of the
play.
Some
interference calls are easy.
Example: If a runner is hit by a batted ball he is
out and no judgment of intent is required unless he
is hit by a deflected ball, or the ball has passed
on infielder, in which case the umpire must decide
if he intended to be hit to interfere, obstruct, impede,
hinder or confuse the defense or if another fielder
had a play on the ball. Rule 5.09(f) and 7.08(f).
Example:
A runner must avoid a fielder attempting to field
a BATTED BALL. If he does not he is guilty. This is
a fairly easy call. Rule 7.09(L) and 7.08(b).
The
fielder's protection begins the moment the ball is
hit. That protection continues as he completes his
initial play. His protection ends if he misplays the
batted ball and has to move to recover it. Contact
with the fielder is not necessary for interference
to be called.
When
a ball is hit, you have to judge which fielder has
the best chance to field the ball. That fielder is
then "protected" meaning; must not be interfered
with, from the time the ball leaves the bat, up through
the gloving of the ball and the act of throwing.
The fielder is protected even if he started to field
the ball from outside the basepath and then moved
into it to field the ball. The runner must avoid a
fielder attempting to field a batted ball.
Rule 7.09(L). He must avoid the fielder and not interfere
with him during the entire time that the fielder is
in protected status and in all areas including the
basepath.
Rule
7.09(k) In running the last half of the distance from
home base to first base while the ball is being fielded
to first base, he runs outside (to the right of) the
three foot line, or inside (to the left of) the foul
line and, in the umpire's judgment, interferes with
the fielder taking the throw at first base, or attempting
to field a batted ball; The lines marking the three
foot lane are a part of that "lane" but
the interpretation to be made is that a runner is
required to have both feet within the three foot "lane"
or on the lines marking the "lane."
PENALTY
FOR INTERFERENCE:
The
runner is out and the ball is dead.
Interference
is the act of hindering or obstructing a fielder attempting
to make a play. A "Play" is the act of throwing,
or attempting a tag of a runner or a base, or an attempt
to catch a throw.
Difficult
calls are the ones involving thrown balls. Interference
with a thrown ball must be judged as an intentional
act. Rule 7.08(b), 7.09(L). If a runner is
hit by a thrown ball while running the bases, he
is not out unless the Umpire judges that the
runner intentionally interfered, obstructed, hindered
or confused the defense attempting to make a play.
Some
examples of interference are:
Yelling at a fielder as he attempts a catch or play
(Note that the rule states "the team at bat.."
This includes coaches and players on the bench.
Waving his arms to distract the fielder
Making contact with the fielder as he attempts a throw
Making contact or otherwise interfering with the fielder
as he attempts to catch a batted ball
Making INTENTIONAL contact with a fielder as he attempts
to catch a thrown ball. The runner has a right to
the base path except when a fielder is attempting
to field a BATTED ball
Making INTENTIONAL contact with a thrown ball
Stopping directly in front of a fielder attempting
to field a ground ball
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