[greymule]

I'd forget about what I thought at the time of the obstruction and try to assess how the violation affected the play. If the play at home was close, I'd cite the obstruction and allow the run to score. If the runner was out easily, I'd claim that he would have been out even without the obstruction.

Of course, I'd give the benefit of the doubt to the runner. However, I wonder if it would be appropriate somehow to indicate that the protection has ended—to "wave it off." Say I decide that he would have reached 3B. Could I announce, as the runner touches 3B, "Obstruction is off"?

However, in a FP clinic, they gave the following play: BR gets base hit to left. When rounding 1B, BR is obstructed by F3 and then is out by a mile at 2B. They said that even if you feel that BR had no chance to make it to 2B without the obstruction, put BR back at 1B. Perhaps they were advising how to rule with younger girls.