This question concerns verbal obstruction by a defensive player. A group of us were discussing this yesterday afternoon, and a spirited discussion broke out regarding the second baseman or the shortstop yelling “back” in an attempt to keep the runner close to second.

How say ye? Obstruction or baseball?

Well,
 

Since FED wrote the rule SPECIFICALLY to cover your example I would say that FED thinks it is verbal obstruction.

Tee

Dammit, blue. My worst fears have come true. I agree with Tee, both in subjectmatter and tone. :)

I always had a hard time with verbal OBS, since OBR doesn't even recognize the concept. But Fed would definitely consider the example to be verbal OBS. On the other hand, though I stopped officiating Fed years ago, I do seem to remember case plays in which certain utterances are <i>not</i> to be considered OBS, because "the runner should know his coach's voice" or some such wording. (Or maybe that's from some other code or the BRD or something.)

I don't remember shortstops actually yelling, "Back!" but I certainly remember their faking a motion toward 2B and saying something like, "Hey!" in an attempt to drive the runner back toward 2B. I wonder whether Fed would consider that OBS.

In Fed, would it be some sort of OBS if after a play at 3B, F5, in an attempt to get the runner to start for home, said, "Oops!" and pretended to chase after the ball as if it had gotten away?

How about this one? In a 40-and-over game,OBR....
Batter hits towering fly into foul territory near
plate.Catcher searches the sky for the ball,batter
begins yelling "I got it,Gene....Gene,I got it".
What do you have,if anything?

Hopefully, a catch. Maybe a dropped ball.

Is there a rule in FED for Verbal INTERFERENCE? Obviously, this couldn't be Verbal OBSTRUCTION.

FED 2-21-1, 3-3-10 & 5-1-2d all relate to VERBAL INTERFERENCE

I don't do FED. That's why I was asking. So, what do those rules say, and does the sitch above fit into those rules?

Yes, the situation fits, and, if you judged it to be interference, you could have an out.

In the original play (F6 yells, "back"), you could judge it to be obstruction if the call hindered the runner. 99.9% of the time, it doesn't hinder the runner in HS baseball. If it gets to be too annoying, a quiet word with F6 will stop it.

Just curious, and not trying to stir the pot... does "Hey, batter, batter, SWING!" count as verbal obstruction in FED?

Fortunately, that's not something I have happen in my FED games. It'd not be "obstruction" because it does not impede a runner on the basepaths.

In the absence of my rule book [threw or gave away my old ones; don't get '05s 'til I pay my dues in 2 weeks]: I believe there is a FED [BB only, I don't do SB] rule which says, in substance, no player shall direct any comments [or chants] toward or about a player on another team. So, no "Swing, batter, swing", etc. is something they are not supposed to do. I have heard "cheers" along the lines of "He {F1} couldn't pitch a fit": in those cases, I have reminded the coaches that kids are supposed to cheer FOR their teammates, and not run down the opponents. If I heard "Hey Batter..." etc., I'd probably do the same.

Since the poster said this was a "40-and-over game,<b>OBR....</b>" it doesn't matter what FED has to say on the subject. I've got either a caught fly or dropped ball. Nothing more.

OBR Verbal Interference?
 

Offensive interference is an act by the team at bat which....confuses any fielder attempting to make a play.

To me the batter yelling "I got it Gene." is an act that confuses a fielder trying to make a play. Tell me why this could not be interference if it had an impact on the play. Likewise, a player making a play close the other teams dugout, and as the player is getting into position to make the catch, someone in the dugout yells, "I got it. I got it." Is this not an act that is done to confuse a fielder attempting to make a play? I haven't seen this very often at higher level games, but this happens frequently in games involving younger players. Why would you not judge this to be interference if it has an impact on a play being made?

[Edited by lds7199 on Feb 1st, 2005 at 04:49 PM]

From the FED rule book Section 22, Art.1 "Obstruction is an act (intentional or otherwise, as well as physical or verbal) by a fielder, any member of the defensive team or its team personnel that hinders a runner or changes a pattern of play..."

From the FED case book 2.22.1 SITUATION A: "R1 attempts to steal second. F2, upon receiving the pitch, throws a pop-up to F6. F5 yells "get back, get back". R1 thinks B2 has hit a pop-up and starts back to first where he is tagged out . RULING: This is verbal obstruction and R1 shall be awarded second base."

Playing devils advocate here...

"Obstruction is an act (intentional or otherwise, as well as physical or verbal) by a fielder, any member of the defensive team or its team personnel that hinders a runner or changes a pattern of play..."

Your casebook play illustrates an example of verbal obstruction. Take that exact same play, but take out the "Get back, get back!" Is the act of throwing the baseball like a pop-up, on it's own, an "intentional physical act by a fielder that hinders the runner or changes a pattern of play"? And if so, are you calling obstruction on a catcher that does this?

I'd say "no" to both. I'd treat the "thrown pop-up" as more like the Miami play, which is legal.

What about the runner who is at first and begins to LOUDLY clap his hands in effort to "bug" the pitcher?

"Knock it off"

What have you got? Bush League play. And you would think a 40-yr-old should know better.

It's certainly not verbal interference since there is no such thing under OBR.

OBR ... 40-yr-olds ... this type of behavior usually gets "fixed" on the next pitch to that batter. He'll "get it", all right.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

[Edited by David Emerling on Feb 12th, 2005 at 01:33 AM]

David: In the OBR there is no verbal obstruction, but there is verbal interference. (2.00 Interference a) Wendelstedt wrote about a major league batter yelling at a fielder, causing him to drop a foul pop up. "He's out!" Harry said.

The play doesn't appear in the BRD because all three codes penalize verbal interference. See Section 298.

That's true, now that you mention it.

It can easily be construed as "hindering" a fielder.

I would think that the standard for FED "verbal interference" would differ substantially, however. Wouldn't you?

Although I've never read any discussion of there being any difference. But then again, HOW COULD THERE BE? It's not in the BRD! [g]

That means there can be no difference, <i>by definition!</i>

David Emerling
Memphis, TN