|
Jim, where I have seen faces bloodied is on direct, hard thrown, chest high pickoff attempts where the fielder enters the return path of the runner sticking a foot approx. 2-3 ft. before base. He thereby puts his foot or leg directly into the face of the diving runner.
MUST he enter that spot vs. that foot not being in the return path. He stops the runner and then applies the tag. In many cases it is quite likely the runner would have made it back safely (because of the height of the throw) had it not been that he was stopped.
Again I must ask, is the fact that a ball has been thrown in his direction carte blanche approval to block the base since he is able to touch the ball? IMO the answer is no.
Again, I believe the keywords are "MUST OCCUPY" rather than can occupy. This can be further supported by your quote (shown below) that indicates it's ok to block the base if it is a RESULT of his attempt to field the ball.
(Jim Porter post of 9/27/00)
A 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".
I am interested in knowing where this specific quote comes from.
I have previously stated the benefit of any doubt here will not go to the potential offender. I further support this position referencing 8.3.2c of the Fed casebook. This is specifically true when fielder MUST NOT OCCUPY in his effort to field the ball. Additionally, previous historical references fielder was not allowed to block base. IMO it was amended to allow felder bbetter opportunity to glove the ball, not to block the base!!
Infraction of this is even more obvious when the knee drops and the fielder must then reach away (sometimes considerably) to glove the ball. If he must reach away, how is his knee down a RESULT of his effort to glove the ball? Again I ask, MUST he occupy that position?
Let's face it, I blocked bases when I played, you or your teammates likely did, and players still continue to do it. My main goal was to block the base while at least stopping the ball (usually catching it). Many were retired where they would not have been had I not blocked the base. It frequently gave me the best opportunity to retire the runner. Very seldom was obstruction called. That still doesn't make it legal.
I may seem hard-nosed in sticking to my arguments. Please don't think I will not yield to the masters if I gain no support. Interested in knowing though if you have EVER called obstruction on a pickoff play.
I still haven't seen any answer to my question posed at end of my 11/8/00 post.
[Edited by Bfair on Nov 9th, 2000 at 10:50 AM]
|