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Originally Posted by xtremeump
Please advise how players and a Coach is going to know where you are protecting the Obstructed runner to ?
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Do you mean awarded? My statement was general on awarded bases, but I should have stuck with the theme of the post (OBS). I would simply offer direction. On regular award, just announce the number of bases awarded. I would point only if I felt it necessary to be emphatic with the call or there was an indication of confusion among the players and coaches.
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I know that the point is a Baseball Mechanic, an obstruction call must be verbalized, yes loud enough for the players involved to hear. If you protect a player to 3B and she is tagged out before she reaches 3B someone on the field had better say something ??
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In that case, I would. "DEAD BALL" and announce the OBS.
When NFHS pushed this mechanic, the first time I used it in a HS game, it wasn't that loud, but F4, F6, F5 and the runner all stopped and turned toward me for a call. Even the 3rd base coach turned and looked at me, ignoring her own runner.
A couple weeks later, damn near same thing happened and that is not the effect a DDB is supposed to have on the game. So, going forward, I made a conscientious decision to make sure my "verbal" could not be heard by anyone near the action.
People have a tendency to want every call to be punitive in some manner. OBS is not a punitive call, was never meant to be. While it is informative for the arm to go out, the coach really doesn't need to be aware of it as s/he should just continue coaching the plays that are taking place in front of them. And since many do not understand the rule and believe it is a "free pass", will just run their players out of protection thinking they have nothing to lose.