- May 29, 2015
- 3,810
- 113
Interesting ending to Cardinals vs Reds game just now. Cardinals baserunner at 3rd run a diagonal from a few feet foul to a few feet fair to block the throw from 3B to home. Ball bounces of baserunner and Cards win 1-0. Apparently legal, but seems wrong….
My son (who also umpires and is good at it) and I were just arguing this one. He has interference, I have it clean.
OBR (Official Baseball Rules) requires interference with a thrown ball to be intentional. While the runner gives a glance back on the hit, he turns and focuses ahead before the throw is made and never looks at the throw. While the move inside puts him more in the firing line, I don't see intent specific to the path of the throw.
My son is arguing moving to the inside was intent enough.
Here's another observation: anybody else see obstruction on the catcher? He sets up before the throw and blocks off the entire plate. Potentially could be what caused the change of path.