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Originally Posted by Forest Ump
I was working the dish tonight in a 15U Pony Game. OBR with a modified rule that no fielder can block a base without the ball.
R2, clean hit to right field. Play at the plate. Ball arrives as the catcher is going down to block the plate. Very fluid motion. The runner slides.
The catcher has blocked the plate with the ball. He puts the tag on the sliding runner.
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No need to go any further. This is OBR so when F2 applied the tag the call is
1. TIME
2. That's OBS
3. Score the run
Under most OBS rule codes for amateur baseball these days the player needs to have actual possession of the ball.
Terms such as "in the act of making a play" or a "play is imminent" are no longer valid.
In a nutshell if you do not have the ball the fielder must grant access to the base. If he completely blocks the base as in your OP and does not have the ball it's OBS even if the ball is right near him.
Pete Booth