The Rays hosted the Marlins on July 30, 2024. In the bottom of the seventh, Jose Siri was at bat facing Austin Kitchen with José Cabellero on third base. Cabellero broke for the plate in an attempt to steal the dish. Marlins catcher Nick Fortes jumped out in front the plate.

Plate ump Tripp Gibson called a balk on Kitchen and awarded Siri first base because of catcher’s interference.

Ruleball Comments

• Rule 6.01 (g) reads, “If with a runner on third base and trying to score by means of a squeeze play or a steal, the catcher or any other fielder steps on, or in front of home base without possession of the ball, or touches the batter or his bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk, the batter shall be awarded first base on the interference and the ball is dead.”
• In the High Home viewing link, notice how far Marlins third baseman Jonah Bride was playing from the bag. Of course this led to the attempted steal of home.
• This is a rarely invoked rule. Since the inception of my Ruleball program in 2004, this is the first time I have seen this rule come alive.
• In most balk penalties, runners are awarded one base, but the batter remains at bat. Rule 6.01 (g) is a more severe penalty because it awards any runner on base, including the batter-runner, one base.
• Over the years the media refers to such a situation as a catcher’s balk. There is no such thing as a catcher’s balk. Only the pitcher can be charged with a balk.
• One of the most iconic moments in World Series history involved rule 6.01 (g). With Whitey Ford on the mound, Jackie Robinson stole home in Game One, and Yogi Berra argued the call vociferously with umpire Bill Summers while jumping up and down. He never stopped insisting Robinson was out and he even signed photos of the play, “He was out.” When he walked by the photo of the play in his Museum and Learning Center, Yogi would bellow, “He was out!” Let’s dissect the play.
• Frank Kellert was at bat for the Dodgers. Berra popped out of the catcher’s area when he noticed Robinson thundering down the line. It’s possible, interference could have been called on Yogi. The wording of the rule in 1955 was basically the same as current rule 6.01 (g).  It read, “If the catcher has positioned himself beyond the point of the plate (which Berra did in the Robinson play), he is considered out of the catcher’s box and, in essence, on the plate.” When a catcher violates the rule, the pitcher is charged with a balk and the batter is awarded first base. It’s possible that Berra did not go beyond the point of the plate until he had possession of the ball.
• The Yankees won the game 6-5 so the steal of home became irrelevant.
• You can view the play by going to You Tube “Jackie Robinson Steals Home in the ’55 WS.” There are multiple videos you can choose from and decide if Yogi would have violated the current rule, 6.01 (g).

Rich Marazzi

Rules consultant/analyst:  Angels, D’backs, Dodgers, Mets, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, YES, and NBC Sports Chicago.