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Since Atl Blue quoted the MLB Umpires Manual directly, I think that clearly covers the fact that it was Type B obstruction.
I appreciate Sal's desire to punish this type of behavior, but awarding home in this instance seems unwarranted since the runner at third seemed to clearly be trying to draw a throw and not actually score.
Perhaps what the umpire should have done was to call obstruction, see that the runner was only trying to draw a throw and hence not award any bases because none were merited. After the play completed, I think that a case could be made to eject the 3rd baseman for obvious and intentional unsportsmanlike conduct.
A Major League ballplayer should know better and since no penalty would be awarded on the play, an ejection would send the message loud and clear that that behavior will not be tolerated in the future. I don't know if an ejection for that would pass muster, but it would most definitely send a message.
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Well I am certainly wiser than this man. It is only too likely that neither of us has any knowledge to boast of; but he thinks that he knows something which he does not know, whereas I am quite conscious of my ignorance. At any rate it seems that I am wiser than he is to this small extent, that I do not think that I know what I do not know. ~Socrates
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