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Originally posted by Bob Lyle
After lurking here for several months, this is my first post and I have a weird question.
American Legion tournament, no one on, 1 out, 2-2 count. The catcher short hopped a curve ball in the dirt that the batter swung and missed. The batter started back to the third base dugout and just before entering it someone told him to run. The ball was being thrown around the infield because the defense was celebrating the strikeout. The fielders were not paying attention.
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As long as he has not entered dead ball area he can try for first-base.
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The BR raced across the infield, near the mound, and started to pass the surprised pitcher, who had his back toward the BR and who tried to get out of the way at the last minute, but they ended up colliding with each other.
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The batter-runner's baseline is a direct path to first from where he began near the dugout. The fact that the pitcher had his back turned makes this a tough call. Yes obstruction is not contingent upon intent but not a heck of a lot of runners get obstructed near the mound!
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The umpires ruled obstruction on the pitcher and awarded the BR first base.
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Technically this sounds like the correct call albeit not a popular one for the Defense.
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The coach for the defense ended up getting ejected along with the pitcher. Since I was only a fan, I don't know what was said or what the umpires were thinking. Would one of the rules gurus please enlighten me.
Thanks
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Let the defensive coach instruct the catcher on what and what is not a caught third-strike. Both the Defense and the Offense screwed this one up. I assume the umpires were aware that this was an uncaught strike-three. In these cases you have to check if he has entered dead ball area and bang him out even casually if he has.