Was he ruled safe because of interference? If so, then right call, wrong reason
(imo)
Runner is inside the baseline... he should be out, right?
Fielder dropped the ball as a result of the collision he set up.
One odd thing is that it looked like there were armed police who went into to help break things up. That strikes me as pretty unusual in a teams-only confrontation (i.e. no spectators involved).
(03-26-2014 12:43 PM)I45owl Wrote: [ -> ]Runner is inside the baseline... he should be out, right?
Ah, good eye. I watched it again. The runner caused the collision, on purpose it looks like. He should be out.
Looks to me like whether it was interference or not is irrelevant. The pitcher did not pick up the ball (he tried, but stood up leaving the ball on the ground where the glove had been). As a result, the pitcher didn't have the ball when the collision occurred. Moreover, the runner never touched the ball that was sitting on the ground. Net result was no tag and the runner was safe. If interference were in play, I suspect he would have been safe too since the runner stayed in the basepath the entire way, but I'll leave it to those who know baseball far better than I to pontificate on that.
*I take that back. After posting, I got the benefit of the above comments and had to go back and look. Runner did NOT stay in the basepath the entire way. I disagree with Frizzy that the collision caused the pitcher to drop the ball; he just hurried it to much and failed to pick it up. I would think the only question is whether the baserunner is out as a result of running inside the basepath. And I think I45 is right about that - running inside the basepath = out.
(03-26-2014 12:50 PM)RiceDoc Wrote: [ -> ]Looks to me like whether it was interference or not is irrelevant. The pitcher did not pick up the ball (he tried, but stood up leaving the ball on the ground where the glove had been). As a result, the pitcher didn't have the ball when the collision occurred. Moreover, the runner never touched the ball that was sitting on the ground. Net result was no tag and the runner was safe. If interference were in play, I suspect he would have been safe too since the runner stayed in the basepath the entire way, but I'll leave it to those who know baseball far better than I to pontificate on that.
I'm no rules expert either so my opinion isn't worth the electrons to post it, but if you watch the very first part of the video closely, you'll see the runner cross inside the baseline to prevent the pitcher from fielding the ball by running into him. I don't think that's allowed (and it's what started the brawl).
I'm definitely in the camp that he rushed it and never had the ball before the collision occurred.
I did look up Wikipedia reference on interference, and it says:
Quote:In addition to the general subjective definition of offensive interference, it is also interference by specific rule when:[2]
* The bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory, such as while the bat is being dropped;
* A batter or runner intentionally deflects the course of a batted ball in any manner;
* A member of the offensive team stands near a base to impersonate a baserunner or to otherwise confuse or hinder the defense;
* A coach physically assists a runner in returning to or leaving first or third base;
* A batter, while running to first base, runs outside the three-foot running lane and interferes with the fielder taking a throw at first base;
* A runner makes contact with a batted ball that did not go through or by a fielder, unless no infielder had a chance to immediately field the ball (in this instance, the runner is out, the batter is credited with a base hit, and no other runner advances unless forced to advance one base);
* A runner makes contact with a fielder attempting to field a batted ball, except the batter with the catcher in the immediate vicinity of home plate immediately after the ball was batted; or
* A member of the offensive team intentionally touches a thrown ball, or intentionally hinders a fielder attempting to make a throw.
* The batter physically hinders the catcher's opportunity to throw out a baserunner while standing outside of the batter's box.
source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_(baseball)
But the source points to MLB and not NCAA rules. So I just wasn't sure. Pretty sure that a fielder has right-of-way to field a ball, if making a play on the ball. But I could be wrong.
And don't player safety rules in the NCAA require the runner to not run over the defender when a play is being made or about to be made?
If the batter had run into the pitcher before he had a chance to field the ball it would have been interference. Since the pitcher missed the ball and the batter was in the baseline he was safe.
(03-26-2014 01:00 PM)bobreinhold1 Wrote: [ -> ]If the batter had run into the pitcher before he had a chance to field the ball it would have been interference. Since the pitcher missed the ball and the batter was in the baseline he was safe.
Watch it closely. The runner was not in the running lane. He crossed the baseline and was in the infield.
I don't know the rule well enough to argue... though obviously the umpire was there and made the call. If there is any judgement involved at all, then it seems simple. While he did 'force' contact, the pitcher missed the ball before the contact... so I don't know.
but IMO, the best way to make sure this never happens again is to call the game right then and there as a loss for both teams with everyone who left the dugout or the vicinity of their position ejected. The officials can separate and control 2-3 players, but not 40. If the runner is viewed to have intentionally initiated contact (and I think he was) then he should have to sit out at least one more game... and the player who then shoved him should as well... at least if not more.
I'm a bit torn between physical contact that is arguably 'part of the game' and that which clearly isn't. Trying to stop a player from putting you out is entirely different from shoving a player after the play is over.
The rules state (I think) that the runner must stay in the running lane. He deliberately departed the running lane and should have been out at that point. The 1st baseman's action was not excusable but was understandable. The runner literally went out of his way to take a shot at the pitcher, and infielders are kinda touchy about that sort of thing.
http://www.stevetheump.com/rules/2013-14_NCAA_rules.pdf
A.R. 3—If a fielder has a chance to field a batted ball, but misplays it and while attempting
to recover it, the ball is in the fielder’s immediate reach and the fielder is contacted by the
base runner attempting to reach a base, interference shall be called.