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Originally Posted by Rich Ives
If you go watch the replays you will see Demuth (PU) pointing at 3B just after the obstruction and as the runner was headed home.
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And pointing toward a general area that is not of the umpire's general assignment from the other side of the next closest base and everyone is supposed to know what that means? Seems to me the U3 saw the OBS in his general area of responsibility and either pointed with left hand or extended it for a moment. That I immediately recognized, as probably did many, if not most folks familiar with the game.
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There was no play being made on the obstructed runner. At the time of the obstruction the ball was loose in LF. In this case (OBR rule 7.06(b )) play continues and ends when playing action ceases.
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I know this is going to come down to semantics, but...
MLB rule 7.06(a) states that when a play is made on the OBS runner, the umpire shall call time. Nowhere does it state that such a play be made by the defender who caused the OBS. To me, when the catcher tags the OBS runner, that is your play which ends action.
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At that time the umpires may award whatever they feel is necessary to negate the obstruction. This can be nothing if they think the runner would have been out anyhow and range to awarding the run as they did here.
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But if you want to stick with 7.06(a), that states "
The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base he had last legally touched before the obstruction."