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Bases loaded catcher's interferences
2007-07-28 08:12
by Bob Timmermann

Thanks to the help of Sean Forman of Baseball-Reference.com, I have a list of bases loaded catcher's interferences since 1957. Magglio Ordonez had one last night against the Angels and there hadn't been one in that situation since ... April 19. Eric Byrnes turned the trick against the Padres that day. (Update - Nelson Cruz of the Rangers had a bases-loaded catcher's interference on August 4, 2007 against the Blue Jays.)

The others include:

In the 1971 game that ended on catcher's interference, it occurred in the bottom of the 11th in a 4-4 game between the Dodgers and Reds. With the bases loaded and two outs, Manny Mota attempted to steal home. Johnny Bench came up from behind the plate and stood in front of it to get the pitch and then tagged Mota. However, since Crawford did not have the chance to swing the bat because Bench was standing in front of him and out of the catcher's box too, Bench was charged with catcher's interference and Gibbon was also credited with a balk under Rule 7.07.

7.07
If, with a runner on third base and trying to score by means of a squeeze play or a steal, the catcher or any other fielder steps on, or in front of home base without possession of the ball, or touches the batter or his bat, the pitcher shall be charged with a balk, the batter shall be awarded first base on the interference and the ball is dead.

Here is Retrosheet's description of that inning.

DODGERS 11TH: FOSTER STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING CF); GIBBON REPLACED MCRAE (PITCHING); FERGUSON BATTED FOR HALLER; Ferguson singled to left; Parker reached on an error by Gibbon on a sacrifice bunt [Ferguson to second, Parker to first]; Gibbon threw a wild pitch [Ferguson to third, Parker to second]; Wills was called out on strikes; Mota was walked intentionally; Buckner was hit by a pitch [Ferguson scored (unearned), Parker to third, Mota to second]; Allen forced Parker (shortstop to catcher) [Mota to third, Buckner to second]; Gibbon balked [Mota stayed at third, Buckner stayed at second, Allen stayed at first]; rule 6.08(c) C Int and balk!! Bench per TSN stepped in front of plate on Mota SBH attempt and tagged him but that is interference-bases loaded so Crawford given RBI but in exact same situation in different year batter 0 RBI we are unable to sow this as one play xCC4: rule should be changed for BL cases to ignore balk; Crawford reached on catcher's interference by Bench [Mota scored (unearned) (RBI), Buckner to third, Allen to second]; 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 2 E, 3 LOB. Reds 4, Dodgers 5.
Comments
2007-07-28 10:22:05
1.   bobsbrother
Though the last plate appearance is catcher's interference, isn't it technically a walk-off balk?
2007-07-28 10:53:58
2.   confucius
If the pitcher were to step off the rubber would the catcher then be allowed in front of home plate?
2007-07-28 11:32:03
3.   Bob Timmermann
If the pitcher steps off, then it's not a pitch and all bets are off. It's just like a pickoff play.

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