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Originally posted by Mike Walsh
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Originally posted by AtlUmpSteve
My understanding of 8-8.C is that, on any play, no more than one defensive player can be protected on any batted ball. The act of attempting to field a batted ball does not provide protection; the fielder must be capable of making an out, AND must be the player judged to have the BEST play to make the out, if more than one might have a play.
Many times we will see both 2B and SS chase a ball hit up the middle with no real play; if they impede a runner, that is obstruction.
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I pose these as questions rather than statements because I do Fed, not ASA softball.
Isn't protection limited to one player at a time, rather than to one player? For example, the umpire can start off providing protection to F3 on a high pop-up, but shift protection to F4 when the wind moves the ball in that diretion (or F4 calls off F3)?
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Of course, they could. No one stated that the umpire had to make such a determination as the ball is batted. But it must be made prior to the possibility of an event between fielder and runner occuring.
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Why wouldn't a player be afforded protection even if you didn't think she was capable of getting an out? With R2 and a slow ball hit to F6, it might be obvious that a speedy B2 can't be put out. Nevertheless, R2 is prohibited from crashing into F6 because F6 is protected while fielding the ball. This is because she is making a play, not because she is capable of making an out. Correct? Of course, in your example I agree that it is obstruction, but not only is she not capable of an out, she is not making a play when she is chasing a ball.
Mike
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Because the discussion is based on multiple fielders in position to possibly make a play on the batted ball.
Even in your scenario above, R2 is not the only active runner and, no matter how fast s/he is, if a runner isn't in contact with a base, s/he is in jeopardy of being retired.