1st Base Obstruction?

[jetemple25]

I had an 11/12yo youth game where a ground ball was hit to the second baseman who struggled with it. The 1st baseman (a fairly tall kid for that age) also struggled to get his foot on the bag. As he kept his eye on the fielder, awaiting the throw, his left foot jumped around a little and eventually ended up on the front right corner (foul territory towards home plate). At least that was the location stated in the offensive teams argument. His right foot ended up well in the dirt towards the outfield/2nd base side.

There was plenty of base to be had, but enough fielder leg in the way to cause the runner to slow down. This slowdown was just enough to make him late and out. I did not call OBS because from my angle as the home plate and only umpire, I thought the fielders foot was on the side of the base, perhaps even towards the back and not close to the front. It definitely was not in front of the base.

Either way, are both of these obstructions or not?

Thanks,
-Jet

[MT 73]

Did F3 have possession of the ball or was he in the process of fielding a thrown ball when his foot caused the runner to slow down?
Did you feel that his actions hindered the batter/runner?
If the answer is no and yes then you have obstruction.
Pretty hard call to make when working solo.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by MT 73

Did F3 have possession of the ball or was he in the process of fielding a thrown ball when his foot caused the runner to slow down?
Did you feel that his actions hindered the batter/runner?
If the answer is no and yes then you have obstruction.
Pretty hard call to make when working solo.

The highlighted part doesn't mean anything if the game is being played under FED or Little League rules. Neither of them use that criteria. For them it's possession or nothing.

[MT 73]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

The highlighted part doesn't mean anything if the game is being played under FED or Little League rules. Neither of them use that criteria. For them it's possession or nothing.

True but some youth leagues use Fed and some use Babe Ruth which is modified OBR.

[parrothead]

Reads like he was receiving a throw, but he was nowhere near on the bag where we would expect him to be on a throw from second base. Sounds more like he was kind of all over the place, closer to where he might be positioning himself on an outside throw on a dropped 3rd.

So I understand receiving a throw, throw takes you somewhere else, but in this case the set up to receive the throw sounded like it had nothing to do with the throw, was just an 11-12 year old got tangled and out of position to take the throw.

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by MT 73

True but some youth leagues use Fed and some use Babe Ruth which is modified OBR.

That's why the "if" is in the sentence.

[parrothead]

So if he were receiving a throw, but is set up unnecisarily over say the whole bag causing runner to slow down, the throw didnt take him there, he just was standing there is that OB?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by parrothead

So if he were receiving a throw, but is set up unnecisarily over say the whole bag causing runner to slow down, the throw didnt take him there, he just was standing there is that OB?

Answered up above. It depends on the rules code.

[MT 73]

Originally Posted by parrothead

So if he were receiving a throw, but is set up unnecisarily over say the whole bag causing runner to slow down, the throw didnt take him there, he just was standing there is that OB?

In OBR he cannot set up blocking the bag before the throw.
In other words he would have to be set up without blocking the runner's path but if F3 had to move in order to catch the ball and in doing so hindered the runner then that would not be obstruction.
And any collision resulting from such a play would be termed a "train wreck"
However many rule sets define obstruction as hindering the runner without having possession of the ball so there is no "In the act of fielding " provision.
In OBR your illustration would not be obstruction.
In others it would.
Check with the rule book that your League uses and read the definition of obstruction, which will state if there is an "In the act of fielding a thrown ball" provision.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by MT 73

In OBR he cannot set up blocking the bag before the throw.

He can as long as that act isn't hindering the runner (iow, if the runner is far enough from the bag that F3's position doesn't cause BR to slow down or change his path)

[MT 73]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

He can as long as that act isn't hindering the runner (iow, if the runner is far enough from the bag that F3's position doesn't cause BR to slow down or change his path)

That goes without saying.