Interference (baseball)
In contrast, in professional and higher amateur baseball, violent collisions can occur without any interference (or obstruction), especially when a fielder is receiving a thrown ball near a base where a runner is trying to reach.
The Orioles protested vehemently, but although replays showed Martin ran inside the first base line, umpires ruled the play valid and no interference was called.
Red Sox catcher Carlton Fisk attempted to field the ball and throw to second base and get the lead runner out.
However, Armbrister did not immediately run to first base but instead stood essentially still in the vicinity of home plate, forcing Fisk to jump into him in order to make the throw.
The Red Sox protested, saying that Armbrister interfered, but home plate umpire Larry Barnett refused to change the call.
The rules at the time did not mention a batter-runner/catcher collision, but the official interpretation issued to the umpires did; there is no violation on such unintentional contact.
This happened in the 1989 All-Star Game when the Pittsburgh Pirates' Bobby Bonilla led off the 9th with a scorching grounder that would have been an easy double, but it hit first base umpire Bob Engel in the legs as he tried to jump out of the way.
This is most likely to happen on attempted steals where the catcher is anxious to catch the ball as soon as possible and may move his entire body or mitt forward a bit.
It also more commonly happens to hitters who let pitches get deeper and take later swings,[4] such as Jacoby Ellsbury, who holds the record for the most times interfered with by a catcher in both a single season and his career.
It is worth noting that the latter is also (incorrectly) used to refer to fan obstruction – for instance a spectator running onto the field and tackling a baserunner.
[9] Such interference often occurs when a spectator in the first row of seats reaches onto the field to attempt to grab a fair or foul fly ball.
Spectators may even use a certain level of non-violent force (for example, they may attempt to dislodge a ball out of a defender's glove) provided they do not themselves cross the plane in their efforts.
The area where both fielders and spectators are legally allowed to touch the ball is colloquially called no man's land.
[14][15] However, being in contact with a base may protect a baserunner from being called out for interference in the case of a fielder attempting to field a batted ball.
Per MLB rules:[16] If [a] runner has contact with a legally occupied base when he hinders [a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball], he shall not be called out unless, in the umpire’s judgment, such hindrance, whether it occurs on fair or foul territory, is intentional.
(NOTE: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.)
