[Carl Childress]

Originally posted by David Emerling

In my second example, I don't see how you can invoke any awards under 7.06(a) since there is no direct play being made on the runner at the time of the obstruction. If it's Type A obstruction than the answer is easy: BR is awarded 2nd regardless of the severity of the obstruction and regardless of which base he was trying for.

But this is Type B obstruction which gives the umpire much greater latitude in making awards.
[/b]

David:

The instant it is clear the ball and the runner are headed for the same base, that's Type (a) obstruction. As Steve said, your play could have been borrowed from the JEA: Kill the ball and award B1 second.

In any case, I think I might understand this after all. Let me "articulate" my understanding and please correct me if I am still confused.

Speaking only of Type B (OBR style) obstruction:

1. If a runner is obstructed and the umpire judges that he was not making any legitimate attempt to get to any particular base, the umpire is free to make NO AWARD and to, essentially, ignore the obstruction.

You can ignore obstruction only if the runner reaches the base you expected him to reach without the obstruction.

2. If the runner is obstructed while making a legitimate attempt to get to a base (whether advancing or returning) an award is always in order. The awarded base is always the one toward which the runner was striving at the time of the obstruction.

3. Once a runner has reached the base to which he would have been awarded, the umpire may choose to award the runner additional bases by assessing the circumstances of the play as it is allowed to continue.

4. So, to answer the following question: Can a Type B obstructed runner be thrown out between the bases where the original obstruction occurred? Answer: NO! However, the awarded base has nothing to do with which base the runner is ultimately thrown out at. Rather, the awarded base is that base to which the runner was striving at the time of the obstruction.

Examples to illustrate this point:

Example #1: BR rounds first and is simply bluffing an advance to 2nd when he is obstructed. While attempting to return to 1st the BR is caught in a rundown. The umpire allows the rundown to proceed and calls the runner out if tagged out, regardless of where or how the out occurs. Essentially, this runner has no protection.

Wrong: Avoid a third-world play. Call time the instant the rundown develops, and send the BR to second. Tell the coach he was returning to first because he judged he could not make it safely to second after the obstruction.

Example #2: BR rounds first and is making a legitimate attempt to advance to 2nd when he is obstructed. BR is ultimately thrown out at 2nd. Time out! BR awarded 2nd.

Example #3: BR rounds first and decides to return to 1st. While attempting to return to 1st he is obstructed. The runner ultimately gets caught in a rundown and is tagged out. Ruling: Regardless of circumstances of how this runner is ultimately tagged out, his award is going to 1st base ... the base toward which he was striving at the time of the obstruction. So, if this runner is tagged out on a close play into 2nd - his award is 1st base.

The ball is dead the instant the BR cannot return safely to first. This is not Type (b) obstruction but Type (a): Send the runner to second. Reason: He is obstructed going back to first but cannot return to first; therefore, the defense was playing on him at the time of the obstruction.

Here's the process of handling Type (b) obstruction:

1. The runner is obstructed.
2. Point to the infraction with your left hand and scream: "That's obstruction!!"
3. In your mind immediately pick a base and say -- to yourself: I'll protect him to...." and name that base. It could be an advance base; it could be a return base. It's an advance base if you think he's is attempting the next base. It's a return base if you think he's simply rounding the base agressively. It's been my experience that the runner is NEVER (almost) out trying to return after an obstruction where the umpire DOES NOT award second base. That is, the runner is bumped rounding a base, has no interest in the next base, and returns without a play. Nothing anywhere -- except in FED, where the runner gets second.

Now:

a. The instant that runner becomes involved in a rundown, call "Time" and penalize the obstruction. Repeat: After obstruction, the obstructed runner may NEVER get into a rundown. The instant continuing play ends, "something" must be done about the obstruction.

b. Benefit of the doubt on Type (b) obstruction always goes to the offense. The defender is not making a play. Therefore, the onus is on the defense to show why the obstruction should NOT be penalized.