#98 ⚾ Scooter’s Record Night, Rule of the Week: Interference

That One Sports Show

Reds backup second baseman Scooter Gennett (JEN-ett) hit 4-homers and had 10 RBIs in a 13-1 route over the Cardinals last June 6. He’s the first Red to ever hit 4 in one game and previously hadn’t even hit 4 in one month. He sits among 17 other players in MLB history to perform the same feat, including Rocky Colavito of Indians fame. The homeruns were 4-run, 2-run, 2-run and a solo HR. Best part, Scooter wasn’t even set to be in the lineup. With heavy rains before the game, Reds starting second baseman was unable to test his shoulder in batting practice, so Scooter got the nod.

Rule of the Week: Interference

Let’s set the scene. June 1st, the Mets were playing the Brewers when third baseman Wilmer Flores ran toward the Brewers dugout to catch a foul ball. In doing so he was bumped by the Brewers ball boy.

It’s important to note that the ball boy was on the Mets payroll, so ill-intent is much less likely and the ball boy is technically a Mets employee.

Eric Sogard, the batter, was ruled out on the play and interference was called. After discussing, the umpires ruled it a foul ball, claiming the contact was unintentional, and Mets manager Terry Collins went wild and got booted.

So, did this go down the way it was supposed to? To the rule book!

MLB Rule 3.15

In case of unintentional interference with play by any person herein authorized to be on the playing field…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 question boils down to intent of the ball boy, and who is a person authorized to be on the field?

Authorization: Rule 3.15

No person shall be allowed on the playing field during a game except players and coaches in uniform, managers, news photographers authorized by the home team, umpires, officers of the law in uniform and watchmen or other employees of the home club.

This ball boy was an employee of the home club, so he is authorized. But what about the intent? Oh hey rule 3.15, look at you explaining stuff again.

The question of intentional or unintentional interference shall be decided on the basis of the person’s action. For example: a bat boy, ball attendant, policeman, etc., who tries to avoid being touched by a thrown or batted ball but still is touched by the ball would be involved in unintentional interference. If, however, he kicks the ball or picks it up or pushes it, that is considered intentional interference, regardless of what his thought may have been.

In this case, the boy was not touched by the ball at all, but did interfere with the player. Because it was ruled as unintentional, they made the right call in having it just be a foul ball.
The curious part of this comes in when the original umpire called the runner out.

The umpire that made the call could have been thinking of Rule 3.16 which talks about spectator interference.

Rule 3.16 If spectator interference clearly prevents a fielder from catching a fly ball, the umpire shall declare the batter out.

I think there is clear interference. The ball boy clearly pushes the arm of Flores out of the way, but only because he was trying to get out of the way. Would Flores have caught it if the ball boy had not been there? Yes. Is the ball boy a spectator? No.

Final verdict: Correct call was made.

Other kinds of interference include: offensive, verbal, and catcher interference, but we’ll get to those another time.

Fun fact: All bat/ball boys or girls shall wear a double ear-flap protective helmet while performing their duties, subject to ejection.

Secondary fun fact: The MLB Rule Book, with Appendices is now 284 pages long, longer than the first two Harry Potter Books.