The 1st Base Runners Lane

[WillyM]

I'd like to see the rule tweaked so that, instead of automatically returning runners to the bases they occupied prior to the pitch, the umpires could be given discretion to place the runners where they would have been if no runner's interference had occurred.

In the case of Broxton's bunt, I agree with the umpires that Broxton was guilty of runner's interference, because the pitcher had to alter his throw to avoid hitting him.  But the only thing the Red Sox were trying to do was get the out at first base.  They made no attempt to prevent Santander from scoring or Davis from advancing to second base.  The fact that Broxton ran to the left of the base line had absolutely no effect on those two runners.

The way the rule is now, the Red Sox got the extra added bonus of not only having Broxton called out but having both runners returned to their bases.

If the umps were given discretion, I don't think there's any question that they would have decided to give the Red Sox the out they were trying to get, put Davis on second base and count Santander's run.

Does that make sense to anybody?

[BohKnowsBmore]

11 minutes ago, WillyM said:

I'd like to see the rule tweaked so that, instead of automatically returning runners to the bases they occupied prior to the pitch, the umpires could be given discretion to place the runners where they would have been if no runner's interference had occurred.

In the case of Broxton's bunt, I agree with the umpires that Broxton was guilty of runner's interference, because the pitcher had to alter his throw to avoid hitting him.  But the only thing the Red Sox were trying to do was get the out at first base.  They made no attempt to prevent Santander from scoring or Davis from advancing to second base.  The fact that Broxton ran to the left of the base line had absolutely no effect on those two runners.

The way the rule is now, the Red Sox got the extra added bonus of not only having Broxton called out but having both runners returned to their bases.

If the umps were given discretion, I don't think there's any question that they would have decided to give the Red Sox the out they were trying to get, put Davis on second base and count Santander's run.

Does that make sense to anybody?

While I think this is a good point overall, I think there is a concern that this would remove the disincentive to act against the rules.  What I mean by that, is if the worst that can happen is the defense gets an automatic out when they would have gotten it anyway in all likelihood, why wouldn't you as a runner subtly impede the throw just in case you don't get called for it.

[OFFNY]

41 minutes ago, BohKnowsBmore said:

 

While I think this is a good point overall, I think there is a concern that this would remove the disincentive to act against the rules ........ what I mean by that, is if the worst that can happen is the defense gets an automatic out when they would have gotten it anyway in all likelihood, why wouldn't you as a runner subtly impede the throw just in case you don't get called for it.

 

o

 

And this is one of the reasons why I have stated that there were no easy answers.

I don't like the rule as it currently stands, because I see it as being very unfair (and unrealistic) to right-handed batters ........ but I am at a loss for tweaking it, because I would be hesitant to make a change that would then make it unfair to the defense.

 

In my rat's ass of an opinion, this is really a tough one.

 

o

[WillyM]

4 hours ago, BohKnowsBmore said:

While I think this is a good point overall, I think there is a concern that this would remove the disincentive to act against the rules.  What I mean by that, is if the worst that can happen is the defense gets an automatic out when they would have gotten it anyway in all likelihood, why wouldn't you as a runner subtly impede the throw just in case you don't get called for it.

Of course, I'm not on the rules committee.  I don't know what they're thinking.  If they think that it is important to provide an extra penalty, in the form of returning the runners to their bases, to further discourage the batter from running outside the three-foot lane, then the rule isn't likely going to change.

But if that's the way it is and that's the way it's going to be, this is just one of the little things that a team like the Orioles has to try to do right.

We've been told that the other teams have more talent than the Orioles do.  In order to win games, the Orioles have to concentrate on doing things the right way - even if it's hard to do it the right way, and even if lots of players on other teams don't do it the right way.

I hear all the people who say that when a player is running as fast as he can to try to beat the throw to first, it's hard to get over into the three-foot lane.

But if Broxton could have done that on Sunday, Santander's run would have counted.

And instead of seeing the Red Sox assert their talent with a five-run rally in the tenth inning, we might very well have seen a 4-3 Oriole victory.