Obstruction Question

[Gaphitter14]

Ball is hit in the 1-6 hole but closer to 6 hole than 1 hole,short stop ranges over to the ball but it not directly behind the ball yet the runner from second runs into to while they were both close to the base path from my view and the ball rolls through scores 2 runs with 2 outs. The short stop could have got to the ball because she was just another step away and the ball was still in front of her. No call was made the unpire on the field would not ask for homeplate help when requested by a coach. was it the correst call? Can not ay he did not see it since it happened right in front of him. Next inning the short stop who was obstructed on defense was running to third and jump over the ball in front of the fielder and the same umpire puts his arm out as to call obstruction but there was no dead ball call and nobody was out in that play. can some one clear this up please thanks.

[MTR]

Ball is hit in the 1-6 hole but closer to 6 hole than 1 hole,short stop ranges over to the ball but it not directly behind the ball yet the runner from second runs into to while they were both close to the base path from my view and the ball rolls through scores 2 runs with 2 outs. The short stop could have got to the ball because she was just another step away and the ball was still in front of her. No call was made the unpire on the field would not ask for homeplate help when requested by a coach. was it the correst call? Can not ay he did not see it since it happened right in front of him. Next inning the short stop who was obstructed on defense was running to third and jump over the ball in front of the fielder and the same umpire puts his arm out as to call obstruction but there was no dead ball call and nobody was out in that play. can some one clear this up please thanks.

A player cannot be obstructed on defense. Only an offensive player can be obstructed.

No one on this board can answer your question unless they were the umpire.

In the first play, the defense always has the right-of-way in fielding a non-deflected, batted ball. If a runner prevents them from making that play, that is interference, the ball is dead, that runner is out and all other runners return to the last base touched at the time of the INT. This is assuming THAT was THE player most likely to field the ball. If not, then it is OBS on that defender and a delayed dead ball.

On the second play, IF the runner interfered with the defenses ability to field the ball, it is again a dead ball....yada, yada, yada. Simple jumping over a batted ball is not interference in itself.

BTW, this is all predicated upon the umpire's judgment.

Sounds like the umpire doesn't know the difference between interference and obstruction.

[xxkannonxx]

on the same note...
Runner on second running to third is obstructed by SS on a batted ball to second base; umpire shows obstruction and runner makes it safely to third. Does the runner get only third base or could I have sent her home and appeal if she is thrown out at the plate?

[thedoanezone]

First of all, I'm surprised that RTFR is not more of a standard response to some of these questions. My understanding of the obstruction rule that applies in a case such as this is that an umpire can overturn an out call at a base that he believes the runner would have reached had the obstruction not occured. Correct??

So it appears that judgement comes into play, but hopefully we are talking reasonable judgement. Your scenario of sending the runner home would be all on you, safe or out.

Here's one though, R1 on 2nd takes off as the ball is hit and runs into F6 on a sharply hit ball to F5. R1 continues on to 3rd where she is easily tagged out. Obstruction?

same scenario, but R1 tries to retreat back to 2nd after the collision and is thrown out 5-4. Obstruction? If coach argues that R1 would have advanced to third after the throw across to 1st, do you award R1 3rd?

[MTR]

on the same note...
Runner on second running to third is obstructed by SS on a batted ball to second base; umpire shows obstruction and runner makes it safely to third. Does the runner get only third base or could I have sent her home and appeal if she is thrown out at the plate?

Appeal what? There is nothing to appeal. If the umpire believes 3B is where the runner would have ended up had the OBS not occurred, the runner is in jeopardy once she passes the base.

If you send her knowing she will probably be put out, that is just a DMC.

[MTR]

Here's one though, R1 on 2nd takes off as the ball is hit and runs into F6 on a sharply hit ball to F5. R1 continues on to 3rd where she is easily tagged out. Obstruction?

Obviously.

same scenario, but R1 tries to retreat back to 2nd after the collision and is thrown out 5-4. Obstruction?

Same response.

If coach argues that R1 would have advanced to third after the throw across to 1st, do you award R1 3rd?

Only if you are 1) playing under rules which require such an award, 2) don't understand the rule or 3) an idiot.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Here's one though, R1 on 2nd takes off as the ball is hit and runs into F6 on a sharply hit ball to F5. R1 continues on to 3rd where she is easily tagged out. Obstruction?

Obviously.And if in the Umpires judgement she would have made it safely to 3rd base had the obstruction not occured he/she can award 3rd base

same scenario, but R1 tries to retreat back to 2nd after the collision and is thrown out 5-4. Obstruction?

Same response.Ditto

If coach argues that R1 would have advanced to third after the throw across to 1st, do you award R1 3rd?

Only if you are 1) playing under rules which require such an award, 2) don't understand the rule or 3) an idiot.

I choose # 3

[SnocatzDad]

Here's one though, R1 on 2nd takes off as the ball is hit and runs into F6 on a sharply hit ball to F5. R1 continues on to 3rd where she is easily tagged out. Obstruction?

Obviously.If in the Umpires judgement she would have made it safely to 3rd base had the obstruction not occured

There is a distinction here that I want to be clear on. IMO Obstruction is called if there is obstruction and regardless of whether the "if in the umpires judgement she would have made it safely to 3rd" that judgement only affects where the runner will be placed if she is tagged out after obstruction is called.

I've seen the arm go out when a kid rounds 2nd into F4 and F6 is holding the ball 20 feet away. Obviously the kid has nearly zero chance to advance, but I've told my runners that if they see that arm go out to make an attempt on the next base and hope for an error, worst case they tag you out and the umpire places you back at 2nd base.

[MTR]

Here's one though, R1 on 2nd takes off as the ball is hit and runs into F6 on a sharply hit ball to F5. R1 continues on to 3rd where she is easily tagged out. Obstruction?

Obviously.If in the Umpires judgement she would have made it safely to 3rd base had the obstruction not occured

There is a distinction here that I want to be clear on. IMO Obstruction is called if there is obstruction and regardless of whether the "if in the umpires judgement she would have made it safely to 3rd" that judgement only affects where the runner will be placed if she is tagged out after obstruction is called.

I've seen the arm go out when a kid rounds 2nd into F4 and F6 is holding the ball 20 feet away. Obviously the kid has nearly zero chance to advance, but I've told my runners that if they see that arm go out to make an attempt on the next base and hope for an error, worst case they tag you out and the umpire places you back at 2nd base.

Something else one should be clear about. The runner needs to be aware that it really isn't a free pass. Say there is an error and she rounds 3B. She is now in jeopardy of being put out.

Also, if this runner does make it back to the base to which she was entitled and the defense makes a play on another runner, the runner loses her "between bases" protection.

Coaches should really just coach the action in front of them, not coach the call the believe was made. There are quite a few coaches that think once the arm goes out, this runner has a free pass and that is not necessarily true.

[HugoTafurst]

(snip)Sounds like the umpire doesn't know the difference between interference and obstruction.[/quote]


Or the poster......or both