Quote:
Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu
Not the exact situation as the OP, but similar, particularly in regards to the base award.
SITUATION 4: During the sixth inning of a game, R1 rounds second base and is forced to alter their path to avoid F6 who is waiting on the throw from the outfield. The umpire verbalizes “obstruction” and signals a delayed dead ball. R1 continues toward third base and is thrown out by three steps. The umpire then verbalizes and signals “Dead ball” and awards R1 second base. R1’s coach contends that R1 should be awarded third base since that is the base R1 was heading toward when the obstruction occurred.
RULING: Since R1 had to alter their path due to F6’s actions while F6 was not in possession of the ball nor in the act of making the initial play on a batted ball, obstruction was the proper call. There is no automatic award with obstruction. It is umpire judgment as to what base the runner would have reached had there not been obstruction. When obstruction is ruled, the umpire judges what base the runner would have obtained had there not been obstruction. The “award” for obstruction is not designed to award or advance the runner because they were obstructed, it is designed to remove the negative impact that the obstruction had on the runner. It also protects the runner between the two bases where the runner was obstructed, and the runner cannot be put out between these two bases (with six exceptions). In this situation, when the runner is put out between the two bases where the obstruction occurred, the umpire rules a dead ball and awards the runner the base the runner would have reached had there not been obstruction. In the umpire’s judgment, in this situation R1 would have obtained second base had there not been obstruction, so that is the base R1 is awarded. (8-5-2 PENALTIES 1)
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Now I have a question regarding how they write these things, specifically "the base the runner would have reached". The runner was already well on the way to the next base, where s/he would've been either safe or out. From the description, it looks like the runner was committed and had no chance to go back to the previous base safely even if force had not been an issue. Like, say the runner had already started sliding when the obstruction occurred.
If you rule that absent the obstruction, the runner would not have reached that base without being put out, what does "the base the runner would have reached" or "obtained" refer to?