Quote:
Originally posted by Mad4maddux
I've umpired Little League baseball and softball for 10 years, but now I am experiencing Federation rules as my daughter begins her High School career.
What is the deal on the award of bases after an obstruction call? Runner was scrambling back to the base after the catcher snapped the throw to third, but the runner was obstructed by the third baseman.
Where I come from, when a play is made on the obstructed runner, she is awarded the next base (home) after the base last touched legally (3rd). The umpires said she gets the base, in their judgement, she would have reached had she not been obstructed.
Is this some weird High School rule? If so, how is the defense penalized really? They don't have anything to lose by "sneaky" obstruction, and they might actually get away with it and get the out!
Somebody please explain.
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Many players and coaches are often not considered smart enough to gain that advantage
They would have a lot to lose with a good umpiring crew. I would simply rule the obstruction and then warn the coach that I noticed their little move (I have done this) and consider it an unsportsmanlike act. I will inform the coach the penalty for USC is the ejection of the offending player. And no, I don't care what level of play it is, or how many subs, if any, are available.
It is the rule ASA uses which NFHS adopted a year or two ago. In ASA, and now Fed, obstruction is a rule of protection, not penalty. It is the sole judgment of the umpire as to where to place the runner should obstruction occur. The umpires in your game were correct in stating that they should put the runner on the base which, in their judgment, the runner would have attained had the obstruction not occured.