The Atlanta Braves The Slide Rule And Reality

The Interference Rule

Before I go on I know that the logic here will cause consternation because some see it as the way things have always been done. I’ll point out two things a) that’s not true and b) even if it were true ‘because we’ve always done it that way’ is an excuse not a reason.

I wrote about the creation of the neighborhood play and how we got to a situation where runners ignore the base and slide at a player here.  Rather than rehash all of it I’ll say that it  became a case of give them an inch and they’ll take a mile with umpire and MLB complicit failing to enforce the rule that was on the books at the time.

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Determining what constitutes interference should be common sense but as sense in these things is neither common or in many cases sense, there has a definition.  All quoted rules below come from The Official Rules of Baseball pages 60,61,62, 65, 70,71.  A reminder that these rules have not changed. . .

• Rule 6.01 (a) (5) Any batter or runner who has just been put out, or any runner who has just scored, hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference of his teammate.

So a player who has been forced out at second base who “. . . hinders or impedes any following play being made on a runner. Such runner shall be declared out for the interference . . .”  That seems pretty clear. The argument that he was just breaking up the double play when the defender has left the base ignores the fact that breaking up a double play is intentionally in that case is hindering the following play and by definition committing intentional interference.

What about a fielder standing on the bag?

The rules allow for contact incidental to the play so contact with a fielder still on the bad while sliding into the bag is allowed.

• Rule 6.01(d)  (3.15) Unintentional Interference In case of unintentional interference with play by any person herein authorized to be on the playing field (except members of the team at bat who are participating in the game, or a base coach, any of whom interfere with a fielder attempting to field a batted or thrown ball; or an umpire) the ball is alive and in play. If the interference is intentional, the ball shall be dead at the moment of the interference and the umpire shall impose such penalties as in his opinion will nullify the act of interference.

The first sentence says that contact occurring when the player is actually sliding into the base is allowed while the last sentence reinforces the fact that doing it on purpose is not allowed.  Now that we’ve cleared those things up let’s look at the current bone of contention

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