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I do not know about the rest of you but once the first baseman puts a leg down in front of the bag at ANY level (pickoff throw from catcher and does not have the ball), my arm comes up for the obstruction call and the defense is not getting an out. I've had it at third base too.
Coaches who teach that are hoping umpires will miss the call and give them the out. The coaches know they are not to block the bag like that so for me it adds an aspect of cheating. What has allowed it to ocurr is umpires failing to enforce the award (old fed rule) or not calling the obstruction. Call it and when they came out to ask for an explanation, tell em what would you want called if the other team did it (just kidding). Tell what you saw and it will be called all day while you are on the field. They will do it untill all umpires stop allowing it. It reflects negatively on the character of the coach who teaches this in MHO.
It's not within the rules to block the bag.
I saw this at lower levels of elite ball in Texas but do not recall it out of the 18U gold teams in the Houston area. The umps that did those games knew the play and made the call. No out and when it was in effect in Fed, we awarded the next base. The coaches I knew were aware of the rule and expected the umpires to enforce it.
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