default
Member
I had a catcher get walloped on a play at the plate last weekend, but DID NOT call interference/malicious contact/unsportsmanlike conduct on the runner.
Catcher is on the baseline, about 3-4 feet from the plate. Runner is coming in and so is the throw. The throw bounces and deflects off the catcher. The runner remained on her feet and was passing close to the catcher. Just as she got near her, the catcher bends over and leans into the runner's path to retreive the loose ball.
It was a fairly spectacular collision! I think that the runner's knee caught the side of the catcher's head. Fortunately, she still had her helmet on. But it definitely rang her bell. The runner regained her balance and touched the plate before the catcher got the ball.
The catcher's dad (apparently) right behind the fence about went nuts. The catcher's coach was a little less animated about it, but nevertheless argued for a call against the runner.
Sorry, Coach (and Dad). When a defensive player initiates the contact by suddenly and unavoidably moving into the path of an otherwise legally advancing runner it's not the runner's fault. The rule doesn't work that way. If it did, then every fielder would have a huge incentive to jump into the path of every runner on every close play.
If anything, this could be ruled as obstruction. The catcher did not have the ball and she initiated the contact. Obstruction was kind of a moot point since the runner scored on her own- there really isn't anything more that you can award past home plate!
Catcher is on the baseline, about 3-4 feet from the plate. Runner is coming in and so is the throw. The throw bounces and deflects off the catcher. The runner remained on her feet and was passing close to the catcher. Just as she got near her, the catcher bends over and leans into the runner's path to retreive the loose ball.
It was a fairly spectacular collision! I think that the runner's knee caught the side of the catcher's head. Fortunately, she still had her helmet on. But it definitely rang her bell. The runner regained her balance and touched the plate before the catcher got the ball.
The catcher's dad (apparently) right behind the fence about went nuts. The catcher's coach was a little less animated about it, but nevertheless argued for a call against the runner.
Sorry, Coach (and Dad). When a defensive player initiates the contact by suddenly and unavoidably moving into the path of an otherwise legally advancing runner it's not the runner's fault. The rule doesn't work that way. If it did, then every fielder would have a huge incentive to jump into the path of every runner on every close play.
If anything, this could be ruled as obstruction. The catcher did not have the ball and she initiated the contact. Obstruction was kind of a moot point since the runner scored on her own- there really isn't anything more that you can award past home plate!
