tag the feet

[GIMNEPIWO]

here is the verbiage from
Amateur Softball Association website
Sept 11th 2017
"the Amateur Softball Association of America sets the universal rules for softball in the United States. according to their official rulebook abstruction is when a defensive player effects or prevents a batter from swinging at a pitched ball or hinders the progress of a runner. For example a catcher can be called for obstruction if the catcher's glove makes contact with the hitters bat. or when a defensive player doesn't have the ball and blocks a base or base path. if the defensive player has the ball she is allowed to block the base or base path to apply the tag for an out."

rule used to be you could stand in the base path if the ball was in flight coming to you. Now defensive player can no longer do that and has to have the ball in their glove befor going into path of the runner.
The umpires are calling it!

I do not have a current an ASA book since I am not currently doing travel ball ... I do have a NFHS book ... Again, to the best of my knowledge there is not a rule change as much as it was a clarification to stop collisions at the plate, mimicking what MLB did ... But I could be mistaken ... Maybe this should be asked in the Umpire Corner ... The interpretation has always been that if the base runner is not impeded, no OBS ... "Blocking" a base completely without possession, if impeding the base runner from reaching that base would be OBS ... But having a foot on the side of the bag that the runner is approaching, without possession of the ball if not impeding that base runner from reaching that base, would not be OBS ... That being said, I agree with both foot placements (against the bag on inside or straddling) and agree with jtat32 that the important thing is to let the ball travel and receive the throw without reaching for it as the fastest method.

[Hinky]

Simple message 'tag the feet' with images showing the tag does make a difference. with a heads up, where your defensive player stands this rule is in place.
as far as the rule being new, changed, updated, amended, or added to, the rule is different now. Blues are calling it. Have seen it at these 2018 venues
16u PGF Feb artesia park
18u TCS Feb bld fields
18u friendly Jan adventure park
12u PGF qualifier HB Sports Complex

[GIMNEPIWO]

Simple message 'tag the feet' with images showing the tag does make a difference. with a heads up, where your defensive player stands this rule is in place.
as far as the rule being new, changed, updated, amended, or added to, the rule is different now. Blues are calling it. Have seen it at these 2018 venues
16u PGF Feb artesia park
18u TCS Feb bld fields
18u friendly Jan adventure park
12u PGF qualifier HB Sports Complex

Responses in the Umpire Corner confirm there are no recent changes to OBS in ASA, USA, NFHS but confirm that there were changes is NCAA ... Perhaps what you are seeing is the rule being enforced or misapplied.

If you feel the rule is different and want to debate it, please cite the exact rule ... Or maybe (if you havn't already) join the discussion in the Umpire Corner.

[Sue Trubovitz, Turbo]

thank you for the clarification and yes definitely seeing the rule applied!

[jonriv]

Simple message 'tag the feet' with images showing the tag does make a difference. with a heads up, where your defensive player stands this rule is in place.
as far as the rule being new, changed, updated, amended, or added to, the rule is different now. Blues are calling it. Have seen it at these 2018 venues
16u PGF Feb artesia park
18u TCS Feb bld fields
18u friendly Jan adventure park
12u PGF qualifier HB Sports Complex

What rule set were they using(asa, NCAA etc). Also sometimes a re-emphasis on enforcement of an “old” rule can make it seem new. Like a few years ago with illegal pitches

[Hinky]

Re-emphasis a STRONG possibility may be encouraged by new NCAA rule.
unfortunately couldn't tell you what rules they were going with. just the outcome of what they said. The blues at PGF and TCS called obstruction against teams we were playing. so after the games I spoke with the Blues they said 'can't be in front of the base without the ball'. The ball was in air comming to them. which to me sounds like the new rule for the NCAA.
been in softball many years and have not seen this called so prevalently. posted video in umpire discussions. from what I'm understanding explained there it's not obstruction just to stand in front of base...unless the Fielder completely blocks the runner with their body without the ball.
definitely subjective to the umpires opinion if the runner is blocked or not. As is much of their job.
Base umpire actually told a 1st baseman 'you can't stand in the base path waiting for the ball'
I sure don't make the rules I just TRY to follow them.

[jtat32]

Here are a couple of nifty slides to beat a tag at the feet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyPwQqQE-FA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2RagFo1b74

[Hinky]

Hey GIM------ thanks for bringing the obstruction rule to umpire Corner discussions. great explanation for anyone interested with video.
At PGF & TCS when the umpires were explaining the rule they were applying the NCAA version.

[stonehurler]

While coaching a 10U team last year, our girl tried to score from third on a sac bunt. She got a bad jump and was going to be out with a good throw. The catcher took the throw and reached out forcefully to tag the runner. The runner was mandated to slide because of the rules. She got her helmet ripped off and was out. How can the catcher initiate contact high when the runner has to slide. Tag low!!

[GIMNEPIWO]

While coaching a 10U team last year, our girl tried to score from third on a sac bunt. She got a bad jump and was going to be out with a good throw. The catcher took the throw and reached out forcefully to tag the runner. The runner was mandated to slide because of the rules. She got her helmet ripped off and was out. How can the catcher initiate contact high when the runner has to slide. Tag low!!

I don't recall sliding ever being mandated ... Was that a local rule ? If not, what rule set ? I do however recall people 'thinking' that mandatory sliding was a rule.