Obstruction

[bob jenkins]

Originally posted by collinb
I'm primarily doing softball but will be doing some baseball. I recently read the article that Bob Jenkins wrote on Obstruction on the baseball section at eumpire.com. Under his paragraph titled Minimum Award Bob wrote that Federation Rules provided for a minimum award of a one-base award for any obstructed runner.
Is this different in baseball then softball? I know this year that was changed in softball. 8-3-2 Changes the award to an obstructed runner to the base, in the umpires judgement, the runner would have achieved had the obstruction not occurred.
Thanks

The baseball rule is also 8-3-2: "When a runner is obstructed ... the umpire shall award the obstructed runner and each other runner affected by the obstruction the bases they would have reached, in his opinion, had there been no obstruction. The obstructed runner is awarded a minimum of one base beyond his position on base when the obstruction occurred. (emphasis added) If any preceeding runenr is forced to advance by the awarding of a base or bases to an obstructed runner, the umpire shall award this preceding runner the becessary base or bases. Malicious contact supercedes obstruction."

Since the softball rule changed (as you indicate), this is now another difference in the rules. It's not on the survey for this year, so I don't expect a change.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for asking.