Interference Rule on Slide into Catcher

[Westwind]

Catcher's plant foot was within inches of the baseline at the time of contact, directly between 3rd base and home plate.

And even if this was true, the runner takes out catcher squarely. Because the runner was lined up on catcher.

The runner doesn’t hit the foot that was ”almost” in the baseline, she full on smokes the catcher.

That is because the little miscreant was aiming at the catcher and trying to take her out.

 

[radness]

But if you shouldn’t be there, how can anyone blame the criminal who accosts you? What happens when they block you in with the last car they car jacked? (That’s what happens in Chicago btw)

You should prevent it by not being there. Better route/mechanics and all.

You are saying it isn’t the criminals fault.

I see where your going with that

Both players are allowed in the same area.

If i left my foot (or put my foot) in front of a sliding runner after the out.
And/or its a bang bang play
Thats on me for wanting to play softball.
If my foot gets clipped,
Ask myself what can i do better?
i dont walk away blaming someone else (who i already know is going to slide and is allowed to slide)
I work on faster feet...and better mechanics if it can help.

 

[Westwind]

Correct me if I am mistaken, but I don't recall seeing much dirty play in the televised softball I watch.

While fully recognizing that umping is a really hard job because you have to have 5 sets of eyes and deal with jerks from time to time, maybe the guidance needs to be to take a tougher line on collisions like this.

Agree. Only example I’m aware of: There was a runner from an SEC team that repeatedly targeted the first baseman on singles and first baseman could hear the other team talk about it in dugout. First baseman later shoulder checked runner who was running inside bag to make *intentional contact* and made her cry.

I don’t feel that was dirty. I smiled a slightly illicit smile about that one….

 

[Westwind]

I see where your going with that

Both players are allowed in the same area.

If i left my foot in front of a sliding runner after the out.
And/or its a bang bang play
Thats on me for wanting to play softball.
If my foot gets clipped,
i dont walk away blaming someone else (who i already know is going to slide.)
I work on faster feet...and better mechanics if it can help.

Yes. Clipped foot, incidental contact due to hard play happens. NBD.

 

[radness]

Yes. Clipped foot, incidental contact due to hard play happens. NBD.

Thats how i see this play.

Because there was no way the runner would have known the catchers foot would be moved into her already sliding path she is allowed to be in.

I asked this earlier of umpires.

How often have umpires ejected players sliding?
Statistics ?
1 in 500 games?
1 in 10 games?
?

 

[bmakj]

View attachment 22645

I’ve already stated that I think it’s interference, so not re-hashing that argument.

Just providing the above to state that the closest point from third to home is in fact the left front corner of home plate, and that if her foot was in the right corner of the RH batters box then she was more like 12 inches in fair territory at the time of contact.

Sorry for the crude drawing (it could be off by a few inches, but directionally correct).

math/geometry says otherwise. since baselines are 90 to each other, then the angles between baseline and all batters boxes lines are all 45 or 135. batters box goes out 3.5 feet beyond front of HP, not 3 ft from the the 135 degree corner. putting her foot 6 inches inside right front corner of box means more than 2 feet off the baseline, and approx 3 feet in front of HP.

 

[bmakj]

this was also not bang bang, if she was making catch as player was sliding or starting slide, different story. catch was made with runner couple of strides away from sliding, and slide was directed at player, not the plate, nor was she veering to try and avoid tag or such. veering, even if with the arms reach, was 100% directed at player, not trying to score.

 

[radness]

this was also not bang bang, if she was making catch as player was sliding or starting slide, different story. catch was made with runner couple of strides away from sliding, and slide was directed at player, not the plate, nor was she veering to try and avoid tag or such. veering, even if with the arms reach, was 100% directed at player, not trying to score.

Got a solution yet?

 

[Westwind]

I do. Eject that hooligan.

Thats how i see this play.

Because there was no way the runner would have known the catchers foot would be moved into her already sliding path she is allowed to be in.

Except she didn’t clip her foot. She trucked her. Intentionally. In front of the plate. Hell, Maybe she should have run over and slid into the pitcher. As long as it’s a legal slide, take her out too. Come on.

 

[bmakj]

Got a solution yet?

really quite simple

if borderline, with no benefit of replay, umpire must go with their gut. do not hesitate to toss. deal with repurcussions later. but I would generally err on the side of player safety

video when avaialble sent to sanctioning bodies, and these when it is clear, must take action. players and coaches. a few suspensions and guess what, the coaches start to reign in their players/ stop coaching this. but there has to be repurcussions.

the problem is that no one wants to be held accountable anymore, or hold anyone accountable. everyone wants to skate the thin ice. well, do that enough, and guess what, you fall through eventually. dont want the repurcussions, dont worry about crossing the line, stay a respectable distance away from the line. you can play hard and still not make plays like this one, this was deliberately trying to take someone out, with no legitimate purpose (breaking up a double play is not a legitimate purpose when runner was out so far from HP)