Quote:
Originally posted by tornado
Pony league baseball. Runner on first. Batter doubles to left and tries for third. SS accidentally runs into him and knocks him down about 1/3 of the way from 2nd. Batter/runner scrambles back to second, just beating the throw from left. Runner from first had stopped at third while the interference(?) took place. Without the interference I would probably have had two runners on 3rd.
Ruling please? No harm, no foul, leave the runners at 2nd and 3rd, or should R3 get home and batter/runner get 3rd?
Thanks in advance...
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The question you have to ask is whether or not the throw to 2nd was a "play" (NAPBL/PBUC 3.1) on the B-R and did the obstruction happen either before or after the throw was released.
- If the throw was released BEFORE the obstruction then you have Type A Obstruction (ie Obstruction under 7.06a - a play being made on the obstructed runner). In that case you MUST award the B-R to 3rd base and send the advance runner home on the force.
- If the throw was released AFTER the obstruction then you have Type B Obstruction (ie. Obstruction under OBR 7.06b - no play being made on the obstructed runner). The current Authoritative Opinion - in this case from both Jim Evans and the WUA - says that there is no automatic award on Type B obstruction. It is entirely umpire judgement as to whether the runner would have advanced SAFELY absent the obstruction.
Where you have a runner who returned to a previous base after an obstruction, you also have to ask whether the runner returned (a) because of the obstruction or (b) because he believed he would be out if he continued. In case (a) you might STILL award the advance base, as long as you firmly believed the runner would have acquired it SAFELY absent the obstruction.
Bottom line is you had to be there, but given your description of the direction and timing of the throw, I'd say to leave the runners where they were and get the B-R to buy the opposing SS a soda for saving his bacon! *BIG grin*
Hope this helps
Cheers