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course I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\nI had an adult league game last week in West Seattle in which I called catcher\u2019s interference four times. Four times! \u00a0Unbelievable. I doubt that I\u2019ve called catcher\u2019s interference a total of four times over the last ten years. If you call it once a season, you\u2019re on the back side of the bell curve. To get it four times in a game (by the same catcher) is utterly unheard of. If these were ten-year-olds, that would be one thing. But there were adults in their 30s and 40s. At one point \u2013 after maybe the third time he did it \u2013 I wanted to stop and ask the catcher, \u201cIs this your first time doing this?\u201d But of course I didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
And\u00a0here\u2019s the capper: The manager of the team with the ill-fated catcher approached me between innings late in the game\u00a0and said to\u00a0me, \u201cYou know, there\u2019s no such thing as catcher\u2019s interference. We looked it up.\u201d I smiled.<\/p>\n
Well, if they looked it up, they didn\u2019t look it up very well. They certainly never checked Definitions (interference)(b)<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n “Defensive interference is an act by a fielder which hinders or prevents a batter from hitting a pitch.”<\/p>\n The infraction is more commonly known as \u201ccatcher\u2019s interference\u201d because it\u2019s the catcher who commits the infraction greater than 99% of the time, typically by stabbing at the pitch and having his mitt touch the bat during the swing. Often this happens and still there is a fair batted ball. Other times the ball is foul, or it\u2019s a swing-and-miss. These\u00a0situations are handled a bit differently so\u00a0we\u2019ll talk about that.<\/p>\n Can anyone other than the catcher commit defensive interference? Sure, theoretically. Picture a play in which another fielder \u201chinders or prevents\u201d the batter from hitting the pitch \u2013 for example, the first or third baseman crashing on a bunt attempt. But even that one is rather difficult to picture. And I\u2019ve never seen it, although I\u2019m sure someone has. (So if you\u2019ve seen or called defensive interference on a player other than the catcher, please let me know. I\u2019d love to share your story.)<\/p>\n So let\u2019s have a closer look at catcher\u2019s interference and focus on how to apply the penalty, which can be tricky. We\u2019ll also touch on the infraction’s kissin\u2019 cousin, the catcher\u2019s balk.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve covered the basics of the infraction already: A defensive player, typically the catcher, impedes the batter\u2019s attempt to hit a pitched ball. This normally happens when the bat strikes the catcher\u2019s glove.<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: This does not include the scenario where the bat strikes the catcher\u2019s glove on the follow-through (or backswing). That\u2019s a different situation altogether, called backswing interference<\/a><\/strong>. It results in a dead ball, but no other penalty is applied.<\/p>\n Unlike all other types of interference, catcher\u2019s interference is not an immediate dead ball. Rather, it\u2019s a delayed dead ball. When catcher\u2019s interference takes place, point and vocalize the infraction (\u201cThat\u2019s catcher\u2019s interference!\u201d), but allow play to continue. This assumes, of course, that despite the interference, the batter struck the ball and the ball is in play. Once action on the play has concluded, call time. Then:<\/p>\n For example, with fewer than two outs and a runner in scoring position, the batter who is interfered with might be put out at first, but a runner might have scored. In a close game, the manager might wish to accept the out and score the run rather than have the batter safe on first but the runner sent back to his time-of-pitch base.<\/p>\n Note.<\/strong>\u00a0Such an election is the offensive manager\u2019s to make. It is not your responsibility to present the manager with these options. The manager is expected to know this rule and to initiate the conversation with the plate umpire.<\/p>\n I\u2019m adding this section on the catcher\u2019s balk because one of the two situations we discuss here dovetails perfectly with catcher\u2019s interference. When the catcher interferes with a batter while a runner from third is attempting to steal home (either on a suicide squeeze play or a straight up steal), then you handle the catcher\u2019s interference as a special case, as described in Rule 6.01(g)<\/a><\/strong>:<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n This is exactly like catcher\u2019s interference (because of course it is), but adds a twist when a runner is attempting to steal home. So you handle it just a bit differently:<\/p>\nCalling catcher’s interference<\/h2>\n
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Catcher’s balk<\/h2>\n
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