Two nights ago, Russell Martin grounded into an around-the-horn triple play. I don’t recall who the runner standing on 2nd Base was. But let’s say that he saw what was happening and just stood there, and purposely got hit by the throw from the 3rd baseman to the 2nd baseman. Clearly, this would be a bush league play, and clearly the umpire would call the force out at 2nd base. But would the umps have the authority to also rule Russell out at 1st base? Again, this would be an extremely unethical move, but it’s certainly possible.
Interesting question.
To to be clear let’s assign some names. We know Russell Martin was the batter; let’s say the runner on second, who interferes, is Jorge Posada, and the runner on first is Mark Teixiera.
The relevant rules are:
7.08 (b) which states that a runner that deliberately interferes with a thrown ball is committing interference even if he is standing on a base. Your hypothetical seems to assume the play is intentional; if in the judgment of the umpire that is so it doesn’t save Posada to be standing on second and anyway he’s out, so he’s not legally occupying the base anymore.
7.09 (e) and (f) state that a runner who, after being called out, interferes wth a following play being made on a runner, has committed interference. The penalty is that the ball is dead and another runner is out.
So in fact, the triple play cannot be assumed. Posada is already out at third; he is charged with intereference and Teixiera is called out (maybe, see below) as a result, the ball is dead, and Martin would presumably reach first.
What’s interesting is that rule 7.09 (g) states that if Posada is charged with intereference then another runner is called out, but it doesn’t have to be Teixiera; it is whatever runner is closest to home. So suppose that Derek Jeter had been at third base and had advanced home while all this was happening. HE, not Teixiera, would be called out for Posada’s interference.
It seems unfair but I cannot construct an interpretation of the rules that allows for the umpires to assume the triple play. The term “Triple play” isn’t even much used in the rules, just in definitions and scoring.
That is interesting, indeed. It’s definitely a good rule, in that it reduces the incentive to execute such a nefarious maneuver.
If he just stood on the base and deliberately got hit, it would be interference, yes. However, if he “accidentally” got in the way of the throw while running from second to third (as Reggie Jackson famously did way back in the day in a playoff game while breaking up a double play), the ball remains live and the runners heading to second and first are both safe. That’s really all you can legally do to break up a double or triple play – get hit by the thrown ball or take out a fielder on the bag before he gets a throw off – in either event, you can’t leave the baseline or slap the ball out of the air or it’s interference.
RickJay has it right, but in any real-life situation the sticking point would be the word deliberately. If Posada stopped running after seeing he’d been forced out at third, he’d naturally be in the path of the throw. Does that mean he deliberately blocked the throw? If he raises his arms or moves to one side in order to get in the way, that’s one thing, but is simply remaining in the base path grounds for interference? It’s a judgement call by the ump that would be sure to get a strong reaction whatever the ruling.
Remaining in the base path is not grounds for being ruled to have “deliberately” interfered. If your path to the next base just so happens to be right in line with the throw and the third baseman just so happens to unload one right at your chest and you choose to take an 95 mph toss in the chest rather than getting out of the way, that’s acceptable within the framework of the rules. But, as you say, veering off to get in the way or throwing your hands up to deflect it is a no-no.
We actually teach our kids to throw right through the runner on double play relays because most guys will get the hell out of the way, so the throw is more likely to be on target (what with not trying to lob one over or around a guy bearing down on you) and the fielder is less likely to be taken out by a hard slide.
ETA: I do agree the "deliberately is the tough part and a matter of judgement on the part of the ump. The key as a runner is to not be obvious about it – it’s all about reasonable doubt.