Expert: Rick Bundy - 6/10/2009

Question
Situation is runner on second.  Batter hits ball to short stop. As he is attempting to field the ball, the runner on second goes to third. SS has to move out of way to avoid the runner and as a result doesn't field the ball.  Hard to tell if the runner intentionally caused the problem for the SS.   I called  a delayed dead ball and called the runner out who interfered and awarded the batter first base.  Is that correct call?  Thanks.

Answer
Dave:  The situation described would be a dead ball call, subject to rule 5, article 1e:

The ball becomes dead immediately when there is interference by a runner, batter/runner or retired runner, the batter or by any person.

Interferer is out, also batter/runner if interference prevented a double play at first base.

Interferer is out and so is another runner if interference prevented a double play on the latter.

Other runners return.

If it was hard to tell if the runner intentionally caused the problem for the SS, then you were right to call the runner out and the batter/runner safe, unless the interference kept the SS from fielding the ball, tagging the runner and throwing to first to complete the double play, in which case the batter/runner would be out also.

Whether interference was intentional or the double play could or could not have been made were judgement calls, so whichever way you saw it would be the way it stands.  The only discrepancy is the delayed dead ball call, which is just a technicality.

Thanks for the question.  Good luck with your season.  Umpiring is the backbone of the game and far more complicated than it appears from the side.  You all have my utmost respect!

Yours in baseball,

Rick