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Originally posted by CecilOne
First, I'm starting this to discuss the result of OBS and not what OBS is or when it occurs, so please stay within that frame.
Second, I'm starting this because I disagree with "determine at the moment that you call (and signal) obstruction what base that runner, in your mind, would have achieved without the OBS - THIS is the base she is protected to (don't wait until later to make this determination!)."
Let's take a simple case. BR-now-R1 is obstructed between 1st and 2nd on a base hit deep to the outfield, but in front of the fielder. OK, an apparent double by the immediate reaction theory. But, ball gets past the fielder, R1 continues to 3rd but is barely beaten by the throw and tagged before touching 3rd.
R1 should be awarded 3rd on the OBS because if there was no OBS, the outfielder would still have missed the ball, R1 would stiil have gone to 3rd and w/o the OBS would have made it.
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Speaking ASA, you're spot on up to this point
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For that matter, if the throw is missed by F5 and the same thing happens at HP (R1 continues to HP but is barely beaten by the throw and tagged before touching), R1 should still be safe on the OBS award.
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This is where I and ASA disagree with you. I've been preaching this for years, then a couple of years ago at a regional clinic a member of the NUS stated that subsequent play should not be considered in the umpire's award/protection. Then all these umpires look at me and say, "I didn't know that!" Sure was glad to see they have been paying attention at the clinics.
It is amazing the type of info you can garner at a larger clinic, sometimes just by hanging out in a hospitality room.
An OBS call is meant to "level" the playing field by offsetting the defense's blunder, intentional or not, with protection and award of a base which would have been reached safely had the OBS not occured.
Yes, you should consider the play at hand which was occuring when the OBS happened whether it is the ball rolling between the fielder's legs, the defender dropping the ball, etc. However, once that ball is coming back to the infield, any additional action which is subsequent to the play which was affected by the OBS should be addressed independently.
You cannot read minds, you make your decisions based on the information available. Remember, you can never move a runner back to a protected base if put out. That means that you MUST predetermine protection or just protect the runner to home on every OBS.
In the scenario offered, a ball missed by F5 was not part of the play that was affected by the OBS, therefor, should not be part of the protection or award. What happens if R1 trips and falls to the ground and is put out halfway to home? You cannot put that runner back on 3B, so you must award them home or call them out.
Like Mike Walsh said, no one knows, but you are taking money for working games under the particular rules and interpretation of a certain organization. Like it or not, if you don't follow that organizations instructions, you should probably move on to another association.
[Edited by IRISHMAFIA on Jan 26th, 2006 at 09:12 PM]