[greymule]

Good post, AtlUmpSteve. The various conflicts that abound in the books don't make things any easier.

The OBS call is the most difficult one for me in ASA. Unfortunately, questionable instances occur dozens of times a year. I know softball is not baseball, and I generally have no problem differentiating softball rules from OBR rules, but I admit I have a hard time calling OBS on a play that in a lifetime of OBR has always been "nothing."

Why isn't OBS a problem in MLB? Because the runners don't slow down when a fielder is in their way, whether he was drawn there or not. So while wrecks do occur, the fielders usually know where not to stand and what not to do. When a runner is approaching, catchers don't stand up the line blithely watching a throw come in from the outfield. And both fielder and runner know when to brace for a collision.

I can understand that to prevent injuries in school and amateur ball, Fed and ASA are writing rules to induce fielders and runners to avoid contact. But calling OBS on a throw that draws F3 into the BR? I'll have to do some serious mental training if I'm going to call that OBS.

[And good catch on penultimate, Dakota! Remember which Latin words get the stress on the antepenultimate syllable?]