Quote:
Originally posted by TexBlue
Did the BU or PU ever give the obstruction sign? If so, when did the arm get dropped? Knowing this will determine if the girl was protected to home or not. The coach should have been watching for this. If the arm was dropped shortly before 3rd, she ain't getting home from me. I know a lot of the umpires I call with will drop the arm shortly before the obstructed runner gets to the base the blue will give her. (Award her ) This lets the coach and/or runner know where the protection is to. Go any further and it's at your own risk.
It is a HTBT, but knowing when the arm was dropped on the delayed ball signal will also determine if it was a good call or not. At least in my eyes.
Rick
|
I don't think that you can make the determination of protection at the time of the obstruction. The umpire needs to hold the delayed dead ball signal until the entire play is complete.
Play: R1 on second, base hit to outfield. F6 bumps R1 off stride between second and third.
If you have only decided to protect the player to third and the outfielder bobbles the ball, but still recovers and throws to get the runner on a banger at home, are you still going to call her out? If she would not have been obstructed between second and third, she would have scored standing up.
In my opinion, obstruction is one of the least understood and inconsistantly applied rules by umpires. It allows for a tremendous amount of judgement and "what if" by the umpire. I think that a lot of umpires are too quick to drop their "protection" and penalize the offense instead of the defense.