Ben Levin

Advertisement

Forum Replies Created

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Replies
  • Ben Levin
    Participant
    In high school baseball, the pop-up slide is generally legal, but it becomes illegal if runner executes a pop-up slide and makes contact with a fielder and/or interferes with a fielder’s attempt to make a play.  Typically, this occurs at 2nd base – the defense is attempting to turn a double play, and R1 executes a pop-up slide to try to “break it up.”  If R1’s pop-up slide makes contact with or interferes with the fielder, he has violated the Force Play Slide Rule.  R1 would be ruled out, and the B/R would also be ruled out.  I think that’s what you’re getting at, Chris.  In High School baseball, it is illegal to break up a double play with a pop-up slide.
    Ben Levin
    Participant
    In high school baseball, if a fielder touches a fair batted ball with an illegal glove, the batter and all other runners are awarded 3 bases from the time of the illegal touch.  The glove must then be removed.  The player is not ejected.  If a fielder catches a foul fly ball with an illegal glove, the ball is ruled foul/no catch, and the batter returns to bat (unless the offense takes the result of the play – could happen if R3 tags and scores on a caught foul fly ball to the RF corner).
    Ben Levin
    Participant
    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.

    Ben Levin
    Participant
    No.  The award for a pitched ball that goes out of play is one base from the time of the pitch.  The time of the pitch is defined as when the pitcher makes a motion that commits him to deliver a pitch – a fancy way to say “when the pitcher starts his delivery.”  At the time of the pitch, runner R1 had not yet touched second base, so he occupied first base, and would awarded second.
    Ben Levin
    Participant
    By NFHS rule, Medical alert bracelets are legal to wear, and are not considered to be jewelry.  So the answer to your question is “Yes,” but the tape must not be white or gray (preferably it would be black) and must not (in the umpire’s judgement) be distracting to the batter.
    Ben Levin
    Participant
    No, there is no such thing as a “ground rule triple.”  Ground rules shall not conflict with official playing rules (OBR 4.05), and ground rules may not supersede book rules (NFHS 4-1-2).  A manager/coach may not propose any 3-base award as a ground rule, because balls that go out of play or become lodged are already covered by book rules (almost always 2 bases, though the time of enforcement varies by scenario).  The only 3-base award in the rule book is touching a batted ball with detached equipment, which again isn’t a “ground rule” – it’s already in the rule book.
    Ben Levin
    Participant
    This is interference.  Batter/Runner is ruled out, and any other runners return.  Offensive team members (including base coaches, the on deck batter, bullpen personnel in on-field bullpens, etc.) must vacate any area needed for the defense to field a ball, and may not do anything which hinders the fielder’s attempt to field the ball.  The fact that there was “no possible play” is irrelevant – the coach hindered the fielder’s ability to field a batted ball.  See OBR 6.01 (b) for reference.

     

    If the ball was obviously foul with no chance of being caught, you would have nothing.  Since this batted ball had a chance to become fair and be fielded, it is interference.  The offense is also prohibited from intentionally deflecting the course of a foul ball which has the chance to become fair.

Viewing 7 replies - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)

Don't strike out!

Become a part of the largest baseball rules community in the world!

Get free access to baseball forums, rules analysis and exclusive email content from current and former Major League Baseball players and umpires.