Umpire's Interference - Reviewing its Two Types

A fair batted ball off umpire Jeremy Riggs over the weekend in Triple-A Pawtucket turned into a triple play as it appeared that the offensive team incorrectly assumed that a ball striking an umpire renders it dead. Related Post: https://www.closecallsports.com/2018/04/stayin-alive-umpire-aided-triple-play.html Instead, Riggs properly kept play alive, and the defense retired all three runners, including the batter, eventually going on to win the game in extra innings and suggesting that a lack of rules knowledge potentially cost Gwinnett the game. This UEFL University lesson reviews umpire's interference, and the two narrow baseball situations that qualify for this brand of call. Type 1 umpire's interference occurs between a home plate umpire and catcher, and involves a hindrance with the catcher's attempt to throw out a baserunner. For Type 1 interference to occur, the umpire must make contact with the catcher and in doing so impede or prevent the catcher from retiring a runner. Type 2 umpire's interference occurs when an umpire positioned in front of the fielders is struck by a fair batted ball before such ball passes a fielder. The pitcher and catcher are not considered "fielders" for the purposes of this rule, but if any player touches the batted ball before it strikes the umpire, then interference does not apply (e.g., umpire's interference cannot occur on a batted ball which is first deflected before hitting the umpire).