by Comp » Sun Feb 01, 2015 7:02 am
Taken from the USSSA Case Book
VERBAL OBSTRUCTION
SITUATION A: R1 attempts to steal second. (a) F5 yells “get back get back”. R1 starts back to first where
she is tagged out. . (b) F5, seeing F2 going to the outfield, yells “slide”. R1 slides late into 2B. (c) F5 yells
to F3 “you have the bag”.
RULING: In (a) and (b), this is verbal obstruction and the umpire should call “obstruction” and signal a
delayed dead ball. The umpire will award R1 the base or bases she would have reached in the umpire’s
judgment had there been no obstruction. In (c), this is normal defensive communications. (3-43, 8-13, 8-
15-B-4, 10-5, 11-2-A)
SITUATION B: R1 attempts to steal second. F2, upon receiving the pitch, throws a pop-up to F6. F5 yells
“get back get back”. R1 thinks B2 has hit a pop-up and starts back to first where she is tagged out.
RULING: This is verbal obstruction on F5. The umpire should call “obstruction” and signal a delayed dead
ball. The umpire will call time when R1 is tagged out and award her the base or bases she would have
reached in the umpire’s judgment had there been no obstruction. (3-4; 8-13, 8-15-B-4, 10-5)
In addition, F2 is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct and is ejected (11-2-R)