[Jim Porter]

OBSTRUCTION
By Jim Porter

OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. (OBR, rule 2.00)

History shows us that obstruction has always been considered illegal. Since the Knickerbocker rules of the mid-1800's players have been allowed a free and clear path on which to run the bases. This concept strikes at the very core of upholding the integrity of the game itself. If runners were not allowed an unobstructed path on the bases the game would not be the same today. Without provisions allowing a clear path to the runner we might very well be discussing legal holds as if baseball was a wrestling match. Without baserunning, runs cannot be scored. Without scoring, the game is useless.

In considering obstruction it is important for the student umpire to realize that this part of baseball rules began as a far stricter provision than it is now. Originally no adversary was allowed to block the path of the baserunner. Not a fielder making a play on a ball that had been struck, not a defensive player with the ball in hand - no player from the other team could get in the way of the runner no matter what that player was doing at the time. It took almost four decades before the rules changed to allow even a player with possession of the ball to block the runner's path.

The penalty was harsh and immediate - the runner was always awarded the next base a lot like today's TYPE A obstruction. It should be noted that the current Rule 2.00 definition of obstruction hasn't changed much in over a century of baseball.

Through the years the obstruction rule has been revised numerous times to reflect the change in the game itself. It wasn't until 1950 that TYPE B obstruction appeared and for the first time co-existing with TYPE A, although TYPE A was only used for run-down situations. 11 years later we find the adoption of the rule as we know it today.

This history lesson is important to us in recognizing obstruction. If we realize that at one time any blocking of the runner's path was forbidden completely, then we can consider this still true today and then learn about the exceptions that were more recently adopted.

Recognizing Obstruction
Recognizing obstruction is easier than anyone probably realizes. A runner is allowed a free and clear path on which to run the bases. Any fielder who, in any way, blocks this free and clear path has committed obstruction. Here are some examples:

1. The fielder's person, or any part of his person, is positioned in the runner's immediate projected path and;
a. the players collide
b. the runner alters his projected path to avoid contact
c. the runner aborts his projected path to avoid contact
d. the runner hesitates
e. the runner returns having no path to advance
f. the runner trips, stumbles or falls
g. the runner loses any steps in his progress whatsoever

It is vital to understand that contact is not necessary for obstruction to occur and contact, in and of itself, does not constitute obstruction.

There are other ways for the umpire to recognize when obstruction has taken place:

2. If the fielder gives the impression that his person, or any part of his person, is about to immediately enter the runner's projected path and;;
a. the runner alters his projected path
b. the runner aborts his projected path
c. the runner hesitates
d. the runner trips, stumbles or falls because of the fielder's movement
e. the runner loses any steps in his progress whatsoever because of the fielder's movement

3. when a fielder intentionally impedes (e.g., trips, pins, grabs, tackles, etc,) a runner.

The real key to understanding when obstruction has truly taken place can be found in the OBR definition itself. Obstruction is the act of a fielder who...impedes the progress of any runner. Yes it took me all those words just to thoroughly cover that little phrase. If the runner's progress is hindered or impeded in any way by a fielder you have witnessed obstruction.

So now we know exactly how obstruction can occur. The real trick involves knowing when obstruction is allowed and legal versus when it is illegal and needs penalizing.

Semantics
The Official Baseball Rules say that obstruction can only be an act by a fielder who is not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball. I submit that it is this entry which causes the most confusion regarding the recognition of obstruction.

So let's think about it in a different way, shall we?

Let's consider obstruction to be an act by any fielder which impedes the progress of any runner. Let's for a moment forget what the OBR is telling us. Instead let us consider two different types of obstruction - illegal obstruction and legal obstruction.

Don't worry, I'm not changing anything except perhaps your perception of the word "obstruction". Actually I propose we stay true to the origins of baseball itself with this proposal. To best understand obstruction we should consider all acts by the fielders which impede the progress of the runners to actually be obstruction. From there we can learn about the exceptions which make the obstruction a legal and allowable act.

Just think back for a moment about how the obstruction rule evolved. It started by completely forbidding obstruction of any kind - no exceptions whatsoever. Every time an adversary impeded the progress of a runner it was illegal obstruction. Let us evolve our understanding of obstruction in the same way the obstruction rule evolved throughout history.

We have already shown how any act by a fielder which impedes the progress of a runner is obstruction. Now let's bring into the picture those exceptions which make this obstruction legal and allowable in the same way the baseball rules themselves have changed through the years to allow certain types and circumstances of obstruction to go without penalty.

Since obstruction is an illegal act by the defense, let's now look at when obstruction is not an illegal act by the defense.

The Exceptions
These are exceptions to illegal obstruction. When any of the following occur the fielder may legally obstruct any runners.

1. A fielder in possession of the ball
This is true all the time under any circumstances. If a fielder has complete control over and possession of the ball he is always allowed to obstruct any runner legally. This is as easy as it gets. Whether the fielder is attempting to make a play on the runner he is obstructing makes absolutely no difference. This is always allowed and is always perfectly legal obstruction.

2. A fielder in the act of fielding the ball
This is where it gets a bit tricky. Understanding when a fielder is "in the act of fielding the ball" is the key here.

A BATTED BALL

Privilege
- When an umpire judges a fielder to be privileged he is automatically protecting that fielder from being guilty of illegal obstruction. Therefore if we judge a fielder to be privileged, any act which hinders the runner's progress is considered legal and allowable. When it comes to obstruction, a privileged fielder is considered in the same a fielder in possession of the ball is considered - a privileged fielder can never be guilty of illegally obstructing a runner. We can judge a fielder to be privileged in one of two cases:

a. when a fielder is in the act of fielding a batted ball - When a batted ball is hit to the infield we must judge which fielder can most likely make a play on the batted ball. Only one fielder is allowed to be privileged at any time. If more than one fielder tries to field the batted ball, the umpire must decide which one is entitled to be privileged. The other unprivileged fielder may very well be guilty of illegally obstructing the runner.

A fielder shall be considered to be "trying to field" a ball if any of the following occur:

(i) he is positioning himself for the purpose of trying to glove a rapidly approaching ball, or
(ii) he is actually gloving the ball, or has gloved the ball and, without having to take steps, is trying to gain possession of the ball, or
(iii) he is actually throwing the ball, or completing his throwing motion after throwing the ball ("following through").

On a line drive or pop-up the umpire should determine the ball to be catchable before considering a fielder to be privileged. Useless and unwarranted attempts to field a ball that a fielder obviously cannot catch should not be considered as a basis for privilege. The fielder must actually have a bona fide chance at catching such a batted ball in order to be privileged.

A fielder's attempt to field a batted ball ends as soon as the batted ball is missed or deflected. The fielder's privilege ends as soon as the umpire judges the fielder has had a reasonable amount of time to vacate from the runner's projected path. This should be done immediately otherwise the fielder can be guilty of illegally obstructing the runner.

When privilege ends for one fielder due to a miss or deflection, another fielder can be privileged as long as said fielder is not "chasing" the deflection. The deflection must be on a true course to that fielder in order for him to be privileged. If he is chasing a loose ball, however, the fielder should not be privileged and can be guilty of illegally obstructing a runner.

Privilege can, in the umpire's judgment, immediately be taken from one fielder and given to another. This normally happens when one fielder has missed a batted ball or deflected it and a second fielder has a chance to field the batted ball. As stated before if the second fielder is "chasing" the deflection he cannot be privileged and may be guilty of illegally obstructing a runner.

Unprivileged Fielder Exceptions
When a fielder is not yet considered to be privileged there are two exceptions which make any obstruction that may occur legal and allowable and any contact incidental.

(i)When there is a pop-up the umpire does not considered privilege until the pop-up has at least reached its apex. Even though the umpire cannot judge the fielder to be privileged yet, the fielder is still considered to be in the act of positioning himself to field the ball. Therefore any contact between such unprivileged fielder and the runner is incidental and may not be considered illegal obstruction.
(ii) When a ball is rolling along the foul line and its fair or foul status is in question the fielder is considered in the act of positioning himself to field the batted ball and is unprivileged. However any contact is likely incidental and is not considered illegal obstruction.

IMPORTANT: These are the only two exceptions. Any other time a fielder is unprivileged and he obstructs a runner such obstruction shall be considered illegal.

(NOTE: This idea of privileged versus unprivileged becomes even more important when considering interference issues which will not be covered here)

A THROWN BALL
Another way we consider the fielder to be allowed to legally obstruct a runner is when he is in the act of fielding a thrown ball. This brings up a number of issues.

How do we know a fielder is in the act of fielding a thrown ball? This is umpire judgment. If the ball is in flight and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the thrown ball he then is considered in the act of fielding a thrown ball. We can consider a fielder to be trying to field a thrown ball when any of the following occurs:

(i) he is positioning himself for the purpose of trying to glove a rapidly approaching thrown ball, or
(ii) he is actually gloving the thrown ball, or has gloved the ball and, without having to take steps, is trying to gain possession of the ball, or
(iii) he is actually throwing the ball, or completing his throwing motion after throwing the ball ("following through"), or
(iv) he has missed or deflected the thrown ball and any actions he makes immediately after such miss or deflection constitute trying to field the thrown ball.

Note that the above criteria are the same as a batted ball with the exception of item (iv). This item is unique to thrown balls only. Any immediate activity by a fielder after said fielder has missed or deflected a thrown ball is considered an attempt to field this missed or deflected thrown ball. This action should be associated with only the immediate intent of retrieving or recovering such a missed or deflected thrown ball.

A fielder who is blocking a base from a runner will be considered to be illegally obstructing except when the fielder is in the immediate act of fielding the thrown ball and his block of the base is a fluid, continuous result of his effort to glove the ball. Separate, discontinuous movement, whose sole purpose is to block the base, is obstruction. Of course a fielder may block a base from a runner if said fielder is already in possession of the ball or is privileged due to his fielding and need of that space for a batted ball.

The majority of cases for illegal obstruction on a thrown ball usually happen during a run-down. Once a fielder has completed his follow-through after throwing a ball he must immediately vacate the runner's projected path or be guilty of illegally obstructing that runner. A fielder who is receiving a thrown ball in a run-down must adhere to the requirements above to be allowed to legally obstruct a runner.

Exceptions to the Exceptions
Any time a runner leaves his projected path and goes out of his way to intentionally contact a fielder the illegal obstruction shall not be allowed. It is not illegal obstruction when a runner alters his course to make contact with an unprivileged fielder. If this act is blatantly unsportsmanlike said runner shall be ejected.

Any fielder who misleads or decoys a runner shall not be guilty of illegal obstruction. Obstruction can only be a physical blocking of the runner's projected path and cannot be considered "mental" or "verbal".

Immediately following a batted ball in which the umpire judges the catcher to be making a bona fide effort to field this batted ball any accidental contact which occurs between the catcher and the batter-runner is incidental. The batter-runner has a right to begin his advance to first base just as much as the catcher has a right to attempt to field the batted ball. This will most often occur after a bunt.

When a fielder, protected or not, makes a blatantly unsportsmanlike act such as tripping, tackling, grabbing or pinning a runner, this action shall be considered illegal obstruction. In any case the fielder should be ejected.

One Last Type of Obstruction
It is illegal obstruction any time a spectator or spectators prevent the advance of a runner. The umpire should award any bases to the runner or runners that will nullify the act of illegal spectator obstruction. There is no legal or allowable spectator obstruction (as if you didn't know).