Baseball rules corner: interference by a base runner is a no-no in the rules book.

IN GAME 6 OF THE 2004 AMERICAN League Championship Series played between the Yankees and Red Sox, Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees showed the baseball world that illegal use of the hands is not only a football penalty.

With Boston leading, 4-2, in the bottom of the eighth inning, the Yankees had Derek Jeter on first base and one out when A-Rod tapped a roller up the first base line. Red Sox pitcher Bronson Arroyo fielded the ball and reached to tag Rodriguez. Seeing Arroyo in his path, A-Rod slapped his left hand at the pitcher's glove, knocking the ball loose down the first base line beyond the bag.

Jeter came all the way around to score and A-Rod ended up on second base. First base umpire Randy Marsh, who was blocked out on the play by Red Sox first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, gave the safe sign.

Boston manager Terry Francona ran out of the dugout and protested A-Rod's unorthodox actions. Francona asked Marsh to confer with the other five umpires. When plate ump Joe West told Marsh that he had a clear view of the play, Marsh properly reversed the call. From this corner it should have been West's call in the first place since the plate umpire normally is responsible for calls between home and first.

Rodriguez was called out for interference and Jeter had to return to first base. A-rod's mortal sin has been compared to Reggie Jackson's sticking his hip out intentionally in the 1978 World Series to deflect a throw from Dodgers shortstop Bill Russell to first baseman Steve Garvey. The umps ruled, however that Jackson did not intentionally deflect the ball with his movement.

Although Rodriguez committed interference, there is no language in the rulebook that is available to the public that prohibits a runner from using his hands to avoid a tag or any other reason. It is. however, outlined in the supplemental rulebook given to umpires in section 6.1. It reads: "While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act--such as grabbing, tackling, intentionally slapping at the baseball, punching, kicking, flagrantly using his arms or forearms, etc. to commit an intentional act of interference unrelated to running the bases."

Notice the rule allows for contact. If Rodriguez lowered his shoulder and ran over Arroyo, this would have been perfectly legal.