|
Obstruction
Two situational questions with regards to obstruction:
1)A hitter hits an obvious multiple base hit, the first baseman stands about 2 inches from the "inside corner" of first base.(Closest to the pitcher)
Technically, the first baseman is allowing access of the entire base to the runner but in almost all situations the runner's baseline will be to use the inside corner to turn going to second and the defensive player must vacate the runner's baseline when he isn't playing a batted ball or imminently waiting for a thrown ball.
When I've seen this I've always called obstruction because I believe that anytime a defensive player(without the ball and not imminently waiting a thrown ball) slows the progress of a runner by standing on the runners basepath, obstruction has occurred.
Have I been correct in my interpretation of obstruction in this situation?
2) R1 and ball hit down the left field line. For whatever reason F4 is standing 10 feet inside a direct line between first and second and the runner plans on going to third. Normally the runner will take a wide path to get a better angle to proceed to third, however the runner cuts inside and towards F4 trying to "get slowed up" on his way to second to try to draw the obstruction call just in case the play at third is close. Do defensive players have an obligation of vacating the runners basepath even when runners deliberately run towards them since the runners have to right to establish their own basepaths?
|