Quote:
Originally posted by greymule
I brought this play up for two reasons. First, I saw a similar play recently and the ump (whom I often partner with) did call OBS to negate what would unquestionably have been an easy force out on a runner. (It was a crazy play in which the runner from 2B actually tripped over the pitcher on his way to 3B. Don't ask.) Anyway, I told him I thought he called it right. Second, in studying a parallel play in baseball, I found that the J/R instructs umpires to ignore the OBS.
It is interesting to me that OBR contains so many plays in which the instructions to umpires are basically either to ignore the rule as written and call the play another way, or to consider a variety of factors nowhere to be found in the rule book (particularly regarding INT, OBS, and missed bases). The commendably consistent philosophy among ASA people seems to be to call the rule as written.
Bagman62: In some cases, you can return the runner to the previous base, but in this case, with Baker safe at 1B, you can't.
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You need to remember that ASA has been very diligent the past decade to keep rules relatively simple and try to avoid scenario-specific rulings. It isn't always possible, but when it is, the rule and enforcement are usually quite simplistic. This helps the players, coaches and officials.
OTOH, many sets of baseball rules tend to get play-specific.