Interference Rule on Slide into Catcher

[radness]

really quite simple

1. **if borderline, with no benefit of reply, umpire must go with their gut. do not hesitate to toss. deal with repurcussions later.

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)

Nice conversation moved forward

1.**Theres that darn 50/50 on umpires perspective.

And the other part unfortunetly not addressing solution befor hand. Yet could be good for college/hs programs! Cant see that in travel tho. No overseeing authority.

What else can be applied???

This is where i was trying to come up with solution to further avoid these scenarios.

Should there be a designated area the runner can approach the plate.
Like in foul territory.
Ok to slide free zone
As long as slide starts in foul territory its ok.

Catcher stays in fair territory.
Until perhaps where the batters box starts?

Dont know.
Actually dont want more rule restrictions but in the jest of this thread...bring this up.

 

[schwabach]

How about this - in case of an appeal supported by video evidence, strip the offending team of their win. Guaranteed to get the attention of coaches who countenance dirty play

 

[bmakj]

" Cant see that in travel tho. No overseeing authority "

there is for many games (PGF, USSSA, USA/ASA) and certainly for all school ball there is (btw, more likely IMHO in school ball, which this was, rivalries can get nasty, while in TB, more likely for players on different teams to know each other, have played together before, play HS together, etc.), gotta use what we have, not complain it is not 100% effective.

 

[SoulFY]

To me it just seems like an unfortunate incident. shirt happens in games all the time, people run into each other. Slides happen in games where they slide into players legs. Tough to call anything illegal about it when by the NFHS rulebook they seem this a legal slide. Only way you say this is an illegal slide is if you feel like she was trying to injury the player. That's where people are going to see it different.

Probably changing the slide rule is the first step because right now if you feel like she wasn't trying to hurt or injure then what she is doing is legal and how can you call interference on something that the rulebook deems a legal action? Seems like a bit of conflict.

 

[bmakj]

To me it just seems like an unfortunate incident. shirt happens in games all the time, people run into each other. Slides happen in games where they slide into players legs. Tough to call anything illegal about it when by the NFHS rulebook they seem this a legal slide. Only way you say this is an illegal slide is if you feel like she was trying to injury the player. That's where people are going to see it different.

Probably changing the slide rule is the first step because right now if you feel like she wasn't trying to hurt or injure then what she is doing is legal and how can you call interference on something that the rulebook deems a legal action? Seems like a bit of conflict.

actually not legal, slide that late into player, not plate, only has one purpose, interfere with defender. out seveal strides before slide. obligation is now on runner to avoid interfering with defenders once they are retired (bang bang slide/catch is different).

gotta get away from the old school cleats flying at defenders to break up double play no matter what mentality. this is no longer legal if runner has opportunity once retired to avoid it.

 

[SoulFY]

actually not legal, slide that late into playere, not plate, only has one purpose, interfere with defender. out seveal strides before slide. obligation is now on runner to avoid interfering with defenders once they are retired (bang bang slide/catch is different).

gotta get away from the old school cleats flying at defenders to break up double play no matter what mentality. this is no longer legal if runner has opportunity once retired to avoid it.

Well right now with how the rule is stated there is no timing or strides in place. Your bang bang slide wouldn't matter. Even a half second late would be grounds to call out for interference. The rule isn't setup that way

 

[bmakj]

no mention of timing, but it is clear that a retired runner must avoid interfering with the defense. to me that means if they are able to do so, they must do so. this runner once retired (it was a force, she is out when catcher catches the ball on HP about 15-20 ft in front of ther in her direct line of vision) had time/space to avoid this contact, but INSTEAD sought it out. clear as day to me. now if she was already starting to slide whcn catcher caucht the ball, cannot expect her to stop that.

 

[SoulFY]

no mention of timing, but it is clear that a retired runner must avoid interfering with the defense. to me that means if they are able to do so, they must do so. this runner once retired (it was a force, she is out when catcher catches the ball on HP about 15-20 ft in front of ther in her direct line of vision) had time/space to avoid this contact, but INSTEAD sought it out. clear as day to me. now if she was already starting to slide whcn catcher caucht the ball, cannot expect her to stop that.

Yes but even then you must call her out even if she is in mid slide based on the rule. The contact happens either before she is out or after she is out. But right now no one applies the rule that way. I dont know many who would on a slide they deem legal.

 

[SoulFY]

Do you also feel like this should be interference?

 

[bmakj]

Yes but even then you must call her out even if she is in mid slide based on the rule. The contact happens either before she is out or after she is out. But right now no one applies the rule that way. I dont know many who would on a slide they deem legal.

no, I think you also must take into account what is physically possible for a player to do. cannot ask them to defy physics.

my contention is that if you start you slide a step or two after you are out, and go directly into a player, moving away from the base/HP to go at the player, that is not a legal slide. honestly sliding at a player who is not on the base should really be illegal. slide away from base to other side to try and avoid tag, OK. if defense is on base, sliding into them, OK. defense couple of feet away from base/HP, you are already out, what is the purpose? to interfere is only answer that makes sense. this player steered away from HP to take out legs of catcher. no other purpose to that slide. if she is trying to be safe, would have slide on side of HP away from catcher.