Tuesday, December 5 , 2006

by Erik Nilson
Contributing Editor

Runner's Interference

Nilson,

Please help me with a runner's interference situation. I'll call it runner's "shuffle" interference for now. I'm talking about when the runner runs and stops just before the path of a batted ground ball and shuffles in one spot, getting in the way of the fielder but avoiding contact with the ball. What do I do? If I call it interference, is it live, dead or, dare I say it, delayed dead?   Who would be out?

– NP

NP, you are right with your thought that this situation is interference. Any time a runner hinders the fielding of the ball, you have interference.   Any interference by a runner is always a dead ball. Call time, get the attention of the players, call the interference, and enforce the penalty.  

If the interference was unintentional: Call the offending runner out, and send all other runners back unless forced. The batter is awarded first base and credited with a base hit.

If the interference was willful and deliberate for the purpose of breaking up a double play: Call the offending runner and the batter-runner out.   All other runners return.

– Nilson

OBR:   2.00, 7.08(b), 7.09(g, l)
FED:   2-21-1(a), 5-1-1(e), 8-4-1(h), 8-4-2(g)
NCAA:   2, 6-2(g), 8-5(d)

Erik Nilson answers your umpire rules, mechanics and other questions in "NAIL it!" as needs arise. Send your questions to eriknil@hotmail.com