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Don,
I'm not sure what your question is but here is my take.
If a runner is obstructed then there is a penalty. That penalty is at least one base. If the runner was making an attempt to advance, then she gets at least one base in advance. If she was attempting to retreat then she is protected back to the last base.
The penalty would be applied even if appears the runner would have been out absent the obstruction before she made the next base. (Fed rules specifically state that a runner may not be called out between two bases if an obstruction occures between those bases. The only execption would be if the runner committs an inteference,left early on a caught fly, or fails to touch a base.)
If the runner then advances beyond the next base, either retreating or advancing, only then do I have to make any type of distance judgement. It is at that point that post obstuuction evidence would be taken into account.
If a runner is just rounding a base, and not making any attempt to advance,and contacts a defensive player without the ball or about to catch the ball, then you don't have obstruction.
Roger Greene
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