OK......baseball rules experts.....

I have umpired for 18 years, and have never in my life seen this.

High School Baseball Game

I'm behind the plate.

Runners at 2nd and 3rd; 1 out.

Backstop is a mere 4 steps behind me.....

Pitch gets by the catcher, rolls into the on-deck circle for batting team, in which the on-deck batter (whose head is firmly entrenched in his ass) starts fucking around with the ball......i.e. kicked it with his foot and tapped it with his bat..........

What's the call?

Give me your thoughts, and in a few minutes, I'll tell you what I called.

EDIT: Runner at 3rd was coming home, and runner at 2nd was going to 3rd.

 

I'm going to guess it's some sort of obstruction or interference call and the runner has to go back to third.

 

Does catcher have a legit shot at getting either runner? If so, I say interference and they go back. If not, they advance a base.

But I'd err on sending them back.

 

I did call interference, but I also called the runner out coming home from third.

I don't think you can have offensive interference/obstruction without a player being out.

 

I've never umpired before, but I'd guess player interference and possible charge an out to the team? Runners retreat back to their respected bases.

Edit: Just saw you posted your answer....I'm happy I was close.

 

Oh, and if I may ask a question of my own: In Minor League Baseball, if a game never gets started and is postponed...how many innings will each game last in the double header?

 

If it were lower than high school, I'd just call it a dead ball, as if the ball went into the dugout. But in a varsity high school game, kid should know not to purposefully interfere with a ball in play. I don't know that I'd go so far as to penalize with an out, but I'd make sure his team didn't benefit with any runners advancing on the play.

 

Goldglove, I think the teams have the option of playing two seven-inning games if both managers agree. I know that's how it is with NCAA games when there's a doubleheader.

 

I might be making this up, but isn't the on-deck circle considered not part of the playing field? I think that scenario results in a no-play, like if the ball bounced into the stands. But maybe there is a judgment call on the on-deck batter's intent to interfere.

 

I don't think that's right. A wild pitch on a third strike tonight hit a bat laying in the on-deck circle and they didn't call it a dead ball.

 

But...let's say someone throws a ball into the stands (for example) on a throw to first........the runner advances one base. Dead ball yes, but it's one base.

 

Yeah, that's true. What we need here is some kind of umpire. Know any?