by Bretman » Tue Jul 13, 2010 2:19 pm
Haven't been on this board in awhile (too busy calling games!) and I'm a little late to the party on this one. But here's something to chew on...
Anyone hanging their hat on any rule about a runner, or retired runner, interfering with a fielder attempting to make a play is looking at this from the wrong perspective. This runner/retired runner DID NOT interfere with the fielder. The fielder was able to get off the throw unimpeded.
Interfering with a fielder is an entirely different thing than interfering with a thrown ball that has already left the fielder's hand.
If this throw hits the runner/retired runner when all the runner was doing was advancing straight toward the base, I would not have interference. It's already been stated, but it's a key concept on this play: A runner who is otherwise legally advancing the bases is not expected to immediately vanish the exact instant she's called out.
If she moves out of the baseline into the throw or reaches out and swats the ball, she has interfered with the thrown ball (not the fielder).
If she runs into the fielder trying to make the throw, or positions herself in such close proximity to the fielder that it impedes the ability to make the throw, then she has interfered with the fielder.
On the play described, all you have is a runner/retired runner accidently hit by a throw. No harm, foul, violation or penalty. What you definitely don't have is an additional out for some imaginary rule about "safety reasons".
