Xander Bogaerts

Expert Analysis

2024 Catcher’s Interference on the Rise

Topics: Catcher Interference

Catcher’s Interference: 5.05 (b) (3); 6.01 (c) Catcher’s interference has increased exponentially over the years. In 2002 there were 9 such calls the entire season. In 2022 there were 74 violations and in 2023 there were 97. According to MLB, in 2023 there were 64 challenges following a “no interference” call by the plate umpire…

Expert Analysis

Runner Abandonment 2023

Topics: Expert Analysis

Moore Out for Runner Abandonment The Royals hosted the Mariners on Aug. 17, 2023. In the top of the seventh, Dylan Moore was batting with one out. He hit a looping fly ball to left fielder MJ Melendez who made a running, sliding attempt to catch the ball and dropped it. Moore, thinking the ball…

Expert Analysis

Runner Fails to Retouch Base

Topics: Expert Analysis

The Yankees and Red Sox played at Fenway on September 13, 2022. In the top of the second, the Yankees had Oswaldo Cabrera on first base and one out when Miguel Andújar, facing Nick Pivetta, hit a fly ball to Alex Verdugo in right field. Cabrera, who was off with the pitch, went beyond second…

Expert Analysis

Did the Umpire Misinterpret Backswing Batter Interference?

Topics: Batter, Batter Interference, Catcher Interference, Interference, Latest News

In my opinion the umpire in the Blue Jays-Angels game on April 24 misinterpreted a backswing interference call that might have affected the outcome of the game in the Blue Jays 2-1 loss. There is a distinction between two types of batter interference covered in rule 6.03 (a) (3) and (4) Comment: For the sake…

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