Teachable - Batter Legally Runs to First & Runner's Lane Interference Plays for Umpires

Chinese Taipei’s Li Lin put on a clinic for how to run to first base after he bunted during the 2019 WBSC Premier12 baseball tournament with plate umpire Naoto Shikita properly ruling the play legal. Article: www.closecalls...
Runner’s lane interference gained notoriety most recently due to an interference ruling by HP Umpire Sam Holbrook during the 2019 MLB World Series, but unlike Trea Turner-who never once ran within the lane as required by rule-Lin, who is also a right-handed batter, easily veered into the lane at the 45-foot mark and exited in the immediate vicinity of first base, as allowed.
Not only is this video the ideal antidote to the argument that a right-handed hitter cannot reasonably run in the lane, it is also another example of how a home plate umpire should officiate the fair/foul responsibility followed by RLI/nothing.
Also discussed in this episode of Tmac’s Teachable Moments are the responsibilities of the other base umpires.

[@72hawkj]

I did umpiring for years. Most were easy calls, as long as you knew the rules. However, I had one play that had no real guidelines for what to do. Bases loaded, no body out. Batter hit the ball into an area where there was no fence. Ground rules said if it reached the stickers, it was ground rule double. Unless it was still in the air. Then a home run. The ball did not reach the stickers, so the ball was still in play. Person on third goes home, no problem. However, the catcher met the runner from second halfway between third and home yelling obscenities. The runner tries to go around. The catcher moves to block. Everyone, including the batter are in this mess before the ball finally bounces to the shortstop. Maybe I was wrong, but I had nothing to go on. And I was the only umpire there. I called interference each time one of them was prevented from reaching the plate. Once done, I called time, and ejected the catcher. It was the only time I ever ejected a player from a game.

[@Jackmerius_Tacktheritrix5733]

That would have been obstruction type A

[@millerforest]

That's not interference. That would be obstruction. You don't even know the difference???? Damn!!! You must suck!!!

[@thecardczar8764]

This channel is gold, especially for an aspiring young umpire like myself.

[@damienbell3155]

I appreciate your guys videos. Helps me out, lol.

[@CloseCallSports]

Our pleasure!

[@ButchRahman]

LEGAL runner's interference perfectly illustrated.

[@dougthegreat1808]

Polk, you don't make sense. Yes LEGAL, runner correctly running in his lane.....

[@ButchRahman]

@@dougthegreat1808 The runner DID interfere, but he did it after running where he should be and stepping to the left in his last stride. So even though he WAS in fair territory and the ball DID hit his back, it is LEGAL for him to interfere in that manner, there is no call made and the ball is live.

[@dougthegreat1808]

@@ButchRahman WRONG, words mean something.....there was NO interference, if there was then the penalty would have been allied. We umpires say "we have nothing!" End of discussion........

[@dougthegreat1808]

Contact if course but NO interference.......

[@ButchRahman]

@@dougthegreat1808 Doug, you need to go to bed.

[@tbonestillz]

I think this is an instance where the runner doesn’t want to give the free out of interference. Other times, interference or walking that line makes sense

[@dogpatch75]

For the play at the plate, the home plate umpire is using old school, obsolete "base line extended" mechanics rather than today's much more effective "wedge" mechanics!

[@teofilstevenson]

Not sure why there is criticism to the HPU and his safe signal emphasis or reaction signal speed, both seem unjustified.

[@wdilks]

This talker is all over the map. Needs to stay focused. But still gets his excellent points across.

[@anthonysiani126]

Agree with everything you said except, "point"?? Why would you have to point? I'm friends with MLB umpires and most of them say, why are you pointing at everything before you make a call? Especially the play at first when the first baseman tags the BR. You can just verbalize it, "he's out on the tag" . Everyone in the whole park knows it's a tag.

[@rickhaavisto9023]

I disagree. Haven’t you seen enough of some announcers completely miss reading the umps hand signal? What do you think the odds of that happening to 2 announcers? Now multiply it by 15,000. That’s how many people wouldn’t understand what happened without a point. (Whatever your odds you assign to announcers messing up a call, I could logically point out the average fan is more likely to not understand it than announcers

[@TheDjcarter1966]

Know this is old BUT...umps did great NO need for any aggerated mechanic for play at first there is no play and runner is obviously safe, at home good safe mechanic he isn't in wedge position but who knows what they teach at international level.

[@bobh6728]

I saw there is a rule change that makes the running lane irrelevant for 2022. Is that correct?

[@alanhess9306]

I haven't heard of that.

[@chrisbodurian8185]

Imagine if, in an effort to get rid of the controversies over RLI in the first base path, MLB flirted with the idea of allowing fielders to retire the batter-runner by pegging him with the ball, dodgeball style. Runners can obviously do all they can to avoid getting hit (i.e. running inside the line, way outside the line, etc) and can easily take an extra base on errant throws. Downside is this would become the new version of bean ball. There'd be so much targeting hahah

[@mrmoose6619]

Actually, in the original rules of "base ball" that was called "soaking the runner" and was a method of retiring a runner.

[@FUGP72]

I love how people think that there is some magical 3 hour mark when a game becomes too long. I don;'t know anyone who cares about the length of game. they care about the PACE of a game. A game with a lot of action, not a lot of bullshit replay challenge delays, or worse the "hang on for 15 seconds...we are checking to see if we WANT to challenge." that actually delays the game by at lest 30 seconds if fine, even if it goes 3:15. But a boring ass game where every batter is swinging for the fences and usually striking out before ending in a 2-0 score (NOT because it was a pitcher's duel) is boring as hell even at 2:50.

[@daryldixon3685]

I love baseball but didn’t fully understand what you were saying...

[@millerforest]

Notice the U1 starting to bring up his right arm as if he were going to call an out???? Bad timing!!!!!

[@alanhess9306]

I hope all the clowns who say it is difficult to get into the lane watch this video to see how easy it is.

[@djmiller232]

A runner's lane violation, like many things in baseball, is a JUDGEMENT CALL by the umpire. One must know the umpire as much as one knows the written rules to avoid an interference call while still getting to first base as quickly as possible.

[@dougthegreat1808]

Huh, know the umpire??

[@rickhaavisto9023]

Or...he could just follow the written rules and not get called out on RLI...

[@johnbleyer8490]

No, it's no more a judgement call than safe or out. The criteria is clear. The batter/runner just needs to know the rule

[@quigonkenny]

Anything Angel Hernandez does is a judgment call.

[@alanhess9306]

@@quigonkenny Most every call in baseball is a judgment call. Rather lame of you to bring up Angel Hernandez when he is not involved in this video.

[@agoge08]

Holy shit baseball😴😴😴Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....