Tune in to rec.sport.baseball again next week when you'll hear Steve
Cutchen say:



In article
6c476942-87da-4300-b160-4b90280cb... at (no spam) m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>,
Commish <mark.wol... at (no spam) gmail.com> wrote:

In last night's game - in an adult hardball league - an opponent
batter struck out swinging at a curve in the dirt. The left-handed
hitting batter took off towards first base. The ball bounced off the
catcher and into the batter's box, where it was inadvertently kicked
by the batter/runner. The ball squirted about 10' towards the 1B
dugout and the runner reached safely.

How does the batter/runner touching the ball affect your call?

I cannot find a rule to cover this. But, I think it should be a dead
ball, and the batter should be out. I don't see why the defense -
which (probably) would have easily picked up the ball in the batter's
box and thrown the runner out by 30 feet should be punished by
something done by the offense - even if it is inadvertent.

Any real umpires care to way in on this play?

Assuming OBR applies:

7.09 It is interference by a batter or a runner when_
       (a) After a third strike he hinders the catcher in his attempt
to field the ball;
PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out and the ball is dead.

"in the dirt" and "bounced off the catcher". Ball in play, wild pitch,
catcher's error?

6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when_
       (c) He interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by
stepping out of the batter's box or making any other movement that
hinders the catcher's play at home base.  The batter is out and the
ball dead.

Should the word "intentionally" be in there somewhere?

--
Bye,
Philip

In last night's game - in an adult hardball league - an opponent
batter struck out swinging at a curve in the dirt. The left-handed
hitting batter took off towards first base. The ball bounced off the
catcher and into the batter's box, where it was inadvertently kicked
by the batter/runner. The ball squirted about 10' towards the 1B
dugout and the runner reached safely.

How does the batter/runner touching the ball affect your call?

I cannot find a rule to cover this. But, I think it should be a dead
ball, and the batter should be out. I don't see why the defense -
which (probably) would have easily picked up the ball in the batter's
box and thrown the runner out by 30 feet should be punished by
something done by the offense - even if it is inadvertent.

Any real umpires care to way in on this play?

In article
6c476942-87da-4300-b160-4b90280cbabe at (no spam) m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>,
Commish <mark.wolven at (no spam) gmail.com> wrote:

In last night's game - in an adult hardball league - an opponent
batter struck out swinging at a curve in the dirt. The left-handed
hitting batter took off towards first base. The ball bounced off the
catcher and into the batter's box, where it was inadvertently kicked
by the batter/runner. The ball squirted about 10' towards the 1B
dugout and the runner reached safely.

How does the batter/runner touching the ball affect your call?

I cannot find a rule to cover this. But, I think it should be a dead
ball, and the batter should be out. I don't see why the defense -
which (probably) would have easily picked up the ball in the batter's
box and thrown the runner out by 30 feet should be punished by
something done by the offense - even if it is inadvertent.

Any real umpires care to way in on this play?

Assuming OBR applies:

7.09 It is interference by a batter or a runner when_
(a) After a third strike he hinders the catcher in his attempt
to field the ball;
PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out and the ball is dead.

6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when_
(c) He interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by
stepping out of the batter's box or making any other movement that
hinders the catcher's play at home base. The batter is out and the
ball dead.

Tune in to rec.sport.baseball again next week when you'll hear Steve
Cutchen say:

In article
6c476942-87da-4300-b160-4b90280cbabe at (no spam) m16g2000yqc.googlegroups.com>,
Commish <mark.wolven at (no spam) gmail.com> wrote:

In last night's game - in an adult hardball league - an opponent
batter struck out swinging at a curve in the dirt. The left-handed
hitting batter took off towards first base. The ball bounced off the
catcher and into the batter's box, where it was inadvertently kicked
by the batter/runner. The ball squirted about 10' towards the 1B
dugout and the runner reached safely.

How does the batter/runner touching the ball affect your call?

I cannot find a rule to cover this. But, I think it should be a dead
ball, and the batter should be out. I don't see why the defense -
which (probably) would have easily picked up the ball in the batter's
box and thrown the runner out by 30 feet should be punished by
something done by the offense - even if it is inadvertent.

Any real umpires care to way in on this play?

Assuming OBR applies:

7.09 It is interference by a batter or a runner when_
(a) After a third strike he hinders the catcher in his attempt
to field the ball;
PENALTY FOR INTERFERENCE: The runner is out and the ball is dead.


"in the dirt" and "bounced off the catcher". Ball in play, wild pitch,
catcher's error?

6.06 A batter is out for illegal action when_
(c) He interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing by
stepping out of the batter's box or making any other movement that
hinders the catcher's play at home base. The batter is out and the
ball dead.

Should the word "intentionally" be in there somewhere?