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I'm with you dash ripock 100%...that's the way I've always done it too.
Verbally said that's obstruction...but I have left turned signaled it and as I was mentored 35 years ago...held that out the whole play until the ball was dead and then I awarded bases accordingly. Have always done the same mechanic sequence on Batter interference with the catcher. I'd say I differ somewhat on it being "wholly unecessary"...I have the simple R1 running into a brain dead 2B on a gapper to the fence I perhaps mistakenly believe it is important that I hold out my left arm...nobody will have heard me say "that's obstruction" way
out there in the B position...it let's the coaches know, players, my partner that "Hey, I got some contact here and we'll see what happens with this runner after we get to a dead ball" That arm out stops me from being hollered at by the offense AND it stops the defense from freaking after the play that I only gave R1 a base because the offense went nuts cuz I DIDN'T signal visually I got obstruction. I'm just not seeing the "wholly unecessary" position...there had to be something else behind the BF's thinking on this change. No big deal either way...I just find it curious and good baseball umpire talk.
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