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[ThurgreedMarshall]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Is this true?

7.09
It is interference by a batter or a runner when: (a) After a third strike he hinders the catcher in his attempt to field the ball; (b) After hitting or bunting a fair ball, his bat hits the ball a second time in fair territory. The ball is dead and no runners may advance. If the batter runner drops his bat and the ball rolls against the bat in fair territory and, in the umpire's judgment, there was no intention to interfere with the course of the ball, the ball is alive and in play; (c) He intentionally deflects the course of a foul ball in any manner; (d) Before two are out and a runner on third base, the batter hinders a fielder in making a play at home base; the runner is out; (e) Any member or members of the offensive team stand or gather around any base to which a runner is advancing, to confuse, hinder or add to the difficulty of the fielders. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate or teammates; (f) Any batter or runner who has just been put out hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate; If the batter or a runner continues to advance after he has been put out, he shall not by that act alone be considered as confusing, hindering or impeding the fielders. (g) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a base runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead. The umpire shall call the runner out for interference and also call out the batter runner because of the action of his teammate. In no event may bases be run or runs scored because of such action by a runner. (h) If, in the judgment of the umpire, a batter runner willfully and deliberately interferes with a batted ball or a fielder in the act of fielding a batted ball, with the obvious intent to break up a double play, the ball is dead; the umpire shall call the batter runner out for interference and shall also call out the runner who had advanced closest to the home plate regardless where the double play might have been possible. In no event shall bases be run because of such interference.

What does "the act of fielding a batted ball" mean?

Good lord, you're a nerd.

While watching Baseball Tonight recently, they were discussing the rule and how it gets applied in a double play situation. An umpire in some game called the runner breaking up a double play, who slid more than two body lengths behind second base, out (as well as the batter). I guess the rule of thumb is, if you can't justify your taking someone out with a slide into second because you can't even reach the bag, then it should be interference.

TM