Reply To: Follow through (backswing interference) – Can a runner advance?

Greg Spencer:

Ben Levin:
Under no circumstance can a runner advance if the batter commits backswing interference.
But there is a VERY MAJOR rule difference between High School/NFHS rule code and the OBR and NCAA rule.
In OBR and NCAA, the runners are simply returned to their bases – no one is called out.
In High School baseball, THE BATTER IS OUT if he commits backswing interference (the NFHS rule book calls it “follow-through interference”). This is in addition to the penalty that all runners return. If the follow-through interference occurs on a third strike, the batter is already out, so the runner on which the play was being attempted would also be ruled out.

One correction: NFHS – strike 3 interference – an umpire CAN be called out but it’s not automatic. Judgement call. Say a runner gets a huge jump and no one goes to cover 2nd base. The runner is not out – he returns to first.

I get where you’re going with this; 7-3-5 Penalty says that if it’s a 3rd strike, the umpire has to judge another out was possible before calling a runner out; 5-1-1e says the ball is dead when there’s interference, and we know all runners return to the base occupied at time of interference.  However it seems a pretty narrow set of circumstances that would allow you to call interference, but send the runner back to first.  If the retired batter hinders the catcher from making a throw where he had no play in the first place, to me that’s not interference at all.  I guess the only sort of situation I can think of is where the runner has the base clearly stolen, no chance for an out, but the catcher decides to throw anyway and then the batter interferes which causes the throw to be airmailed into the outfield and the runner attempts to advance to 3B.  You can’t let the runner advance on interference, but the catcher had no play either, so you really can’t call the runner out either.  You can’t send him back to 2B because he hadn’t reached 2B at the time of interference and no runners may advance while the ball is dead, so the only choice left is to send him back to 1B.

Both coaches are going to think you’ve screwed them, so be prepared with a really good explanation.  You’re really going to have to thread the needle to explain there was no chance of an out, but there was still interference.  “look, I only screwed you a little bit, and equally”.