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After talking with umpires, ASA officials, and everyone else about the new obstruction rule, the ASA community has to let their respective associations know about this problem. We all must do this or we will continue to go back and forth over what is obstruction and what is not. The rule change is a step backwards for the game.
The problem is instensified by all of us. Coaches have not properly trained their players to set up out of the basline to receive the throw and not to enter the path of the runner until after the ball has been caught. Umpires have not been consistent in calling obstruction when a fielder has violated the rule.
IMHO there are two options that could help fix the problem:
1. Put the "about to receive" verbage back in the rule to give the umpire more judgement when considering obstruction. Pretty much put the rule back the way it was.
2. Keep the rule the same, but give the runner an extra base when obstruction occurs. This may not help the way umpires call the play, but it will probably get more coaches to teach fielder's to recieve the ball out of the basepath and then come into the basepath after they receive.
Take the time to voice your opinion. Your inputs must be submitted prior to September.
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glen _______________________________
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things
that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."
--Mark Twain.
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