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Originally Posted by TussAgee11
A clinician once told me that in order to have obstruction you must have physical contact with the runner and the fielder (not counting any forms of obstruction that may be verbal).
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That is incorrect in all codes but most notably FED where Malicious contact would supercede the OBS call.
You do not want runners (ala the PROS) having contact with Fielders in order to call OBS.
In FED, even if the fielder is standing "right in front of you" you cannot simply "plow" into him otherwise as mentioned even though the runner was obstructed they would be declared out for Malicious Contact.
Another rule of thumb when calling infractions that has aided me throughout my career.
Is each "party" doing what they are supposed to.
In the OP, the runner was doing what he was supposed to but the fielder was not. F3 cannot impede or alter the path of the runner. He /she has no business being where they were in the OP. Classic OBS
Pete Booth