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Was this a high school game? If so, here's the rule:
7-4-4: The batter is out (when)...The batter interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by leaning over home plate, by stepping out of the batter's box, by making any movement which hinders action at home after the pitch reaches the catcher or the catcher's attempt to play on a runner, or by failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate congested area when there is a throw to home and there is time for the batter to move away.
I don't think that you can let this batter off the hook so easy. She was out of the box. The pitch had reached the catcher. She had plenty of time to get out of the way. She had ample opportunity to be aware of the situation and move a different direction or further away and didn't.
Intent is not an issue. When there is a play at the plate, the defense essentially has the right of way. A batter can unintentionally interfere- and it's still interference.
If you don't call this interference, then you've just given batters free rein to position themselves between the catcher and the plate...so long as they're facing the other way, acting oblivious to what's going on behind them and can make it look like they "weren't trying to interfere".
For those that think this isn't interference...what part of the above rule do you think prevents that call?
7-4-4: The batter is out (when)...The batter interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by leaning over home plate, by stepping out of the batter's box, by making any movement which hinders action at home after the pitch reaches the catcher or the catcher's attempt to play on a runner, or by failing to make a reasonable effort to vacate congested area when there is a throw to home and there is time for the batter to move away.
I don't think that you can let this batter off the hook so easy. She was out of the box. The pitch had reached the catcher. She had plenty of time to get out of the way. She had ample opportunity to be aware of the situation and move a different direction or further away and didn't.
Intent is not an issue. When there is a play at the plate, the defense essentially has the right of way. A batter can unintentionally interfere- and it's still interference.
If you don't call this interference, then you've just given batters free rein to position themselves between the catcher and the plate...so long as they're facing the other way, acting oblivious to what's going on behind them and can make it look like they "weren't trying to interfere".
For those that think this isn't interference...what part of the above rule do you think prevents that call?