Expert: Andrew Senger - 2/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: I get a little confused with 7.08g and 6.06c with regards to the batter interfering with the catcher and deciding if the batter or the runner is called out.  One source told me that with no outs, if a runner is on 2B trying to steal 3B, the batter is called out. But if a runner is on 3B trying to score on a passed ball, the runner is out.  Why is this?

ANSWER: Roger,

The rule is set the way it is to penalize the offense.

For example, if the batter were always called out and the runner is forced to return, the offense would still have a chance to score the runner at 3B. By calling the runner out, the offense loses the runner at 3B.

With two outs, the batter is out to penalize the offense differently -- they still lose the runner (it's the end of their time at bat) AND the batter that was called out will not become the lead-off batter in the next inning.

If the rules dictated that the runner is always called out, a team could run an interference at home on purpose when their star batter is in a situation where he's at a disadvantage (2 strikes, for instance). The runner would be called out, so the batter returns the next inning as the lead-off batter.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you. But with a runner on 2B only (regardless of the number of outs), if that runner was stealing from 2B to 3B when the interference occured, would he be out instead of the batter?

Answer
This situation would fall under 6.06c. The Comment for the rule states "If the batter interferes with the catcher, the plate umpire shall call "interference." The batter is out and the ball dead. No player may advance on such interference, and all runners must return to the last base that was ... legally touched at the time of the interference."

Therefore, the batter would be out (regardless of the outs) and the runner would return to 2B.