obstruction

scyguy · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 11:44am

Is there any magic formula for determining "the bases they would have reached"? basehit to left, runner at 2nd is slowed by contact of the SS as he gets into cutoff position. Now, will the runner make it home? After calling obstruction, do you determine to award home after seeing what occurs with the leftfielders throw home? If it is bang-bang or if he is thrown out by 6 feet?

What about a batter obstructed as he rounds first, the ball travels to the wall? Is it a normal triple and that is where he would have reached?

I'm looking for ideas that I can key on to determine with a high degree of certainty the bases they would have reached.

mcrowder · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 01:13pm

No great rule of thumb, but usually as the play continues you get a feel for where they would have ended up. For instance, BR interfered with rounding first, slows a bit and continues, safe on a close play at 3rd - the award is 3rd unless you think they were drastically slowed down on the interference. Or - same BR rounds 3rd, thinks about heading home, but decides against it, as it looks to be a close play. Without the interference, home it is.

The rest of the play can OFTEN (but not always) tell you what to award. The worst is when there's an inadvertent takedown (BR rounds first, hits firstbaseman and they both go down) when the ball hasn't been fielded yet (still heading to the wall) That's a toughy.

scyguy · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 01:41pm

No great rule of thumb, but usually as the play continues you get a feel for where they would have ended up. For instance, BR interfered with rounding first, slows a bit and continues, safe on a close play at 3rd - the award is 3rd unless you think they were drastically slowed down on the interference. Or - same BR rounds 3rd, thinks about heading home, but decides against it, as it looks to be a close play. Without the interference, home it is.

And if he would of been out at 3rd had there been no obstruction? Do I call say "safe due to obstruction'?

bob jenkins · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 01:44pm

Quote:

Originally posted by scyguy
And if he would of been out at 3rd had there been no obstruction? Do I call say "safe due to obstruction'?

1) No -- you'd call "out" and explain that the runner was only protected to second

2) If you use the "quote" button (and then delete the unnecessary parts of the quoted post), your posts / replies will be easier to read.

scyguy · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 01:48pm

Bob, that is the whole reason for my question. If it is bang-bang at 3rd with the obstruction, would it not have been an easy safe call without? Does this not enter into the picture? How do I determine the bases he WOULD HAVE REACHED?

bob jenkins · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 02:19pm

Quote:

Originally posted by scyguy
Bob, that is the whole reason for my question. If it is bang-bang at 3rd with the obstruction, would it not have been an easy safe call without? Does this not enter into the picture? How do I determine the bases he WOULD HAVE REACHED?

Agian, you've confused me because you've made two contradictory statements.

First, you said the runner would have been out absent the obstruction. (Ruling: He's still out)

Now, you say the runner would have been safe absent the obstruction. (Ruling: He's safe because of the obstruction; ignore the apparent tag out.)

scyguy · #7 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 03:35pm

you're right again, this time I mistyped. My mind thinking one thing and my fingers doing another. Boy, I must be tired today, alot of mental mistakes, thank goodness I don't have a game today!

DG · #8 (**permalink**) Wed Apr 21, 2004, 09:11pm

I have no rule of thumb, just judgement. But I usually go with the "banger". If there is a banger at the base beyond the one awarded, I say he would have made it and there is no out. But if thrown out be good distance, no dice. Of course you could award a base beyond if the runner stopped running, if he was more than incidentally obstructed. Example of incidental obstruction would be bumpging into first baseman rounding 1B. More than incidental could be hard bump into first baseman and falling down, getting up and making it to 2B. On a ball hit down the first base line that the RF has to go to fence to get this could be considered a "he would have made 3rd call". But I usually stick to bangers. They are much easier to explain.