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Originally Posted by greymule
OBR, Fed, and NCAA baseball all call OBS differently, but in all three codes, the runner would be awarded home on the play in the OP.
But I think I blew an OBS call in a late-season scrimmage between the NJ ASA 16u champs and a very strong team from Maryland.
The runner on 2B was running on the pitch, and the batter lined a hit to left. The runner from 3B was slowed a bit when F6, who had run to cover 3B, got in her way (a few feet from 3B). I (BU) put out my fist and called OBS. The runner continued around 3B and was thrown out by two steps at home.
I wasn't convinced that the runner would have scored without the OBS, so I let the out stand. However, the play was still too close not to allow the runner the benefit of the doubt. I should have awarded her home. But it was hard to tell. The left fielder might have seen that she had time and accordingly took a little time to make sure of her throw. A quick throw might have had the runner by four steps.
On a play like that, where it's really not clear that the runner would have scored without the OBS, I wish that the umpire could just send the runner back to 3B (as I could have if the OBS had been between 3B and home), but that's not the rule.
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The fact that your runner was thrown out by such a slim margin at the plate is evidence enough that she probably should have been awarded home.
As you've discovered, it's very difficult to determine the
exact effects of the obstruction in a spontaneous manner. The runner is not required to advance toward home for the umpire to award her home, but it sure makes the decision easier when she does. And yet, it can
still be a difficult call. What if the runner is thrown out at the plate; the play being neither close nor by a wide margin - something in between?
It can still be kind of a coin toss. But, personally, if I have any doubt, I always side with the runner being safe and awarding the advanced base.
Waiting-to-see, in my opinion, is still the
best approach to these type of plays, notwithstanding any ASA mandate on how the umpire should
think about these plays.
Again, I'm not saying that the umpire cannot award a more advanced base if the runner fails to advance. I'm simply saying that if the runner
does advance (as in your example), the umpire might as well use the
added information in making his final ruling.
By your own description, you had some regrets about not awarding that runner home ... but that was only in
retrospect. Wait for the play to conclude and such "regrets" will be few and far between. And the ruling will tend to make sense to all involved - even the ASA.
David Emerling
Memphis, TN