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.

Obstruction
 

Bob,
Wow, I didn't know I would get a answer from the writer. Thanks for the reply. I will need to get the FED rules for baseball. I wanted to start doing both. Has anyone ever come up with a cheat sheet showing the differences in Fed rules between softball and baseball. Obviously pitching has major differences and I know I will need help on balks.
ps I enjoy the articles posted. I wish there were more softball articles.
Collin

Softball / Baseball rules differences
 

It might be easier to list the rules that are the same.

Lots of differences. Different games.

Re: Obstruction
 

Bob writes very well and I enjoy his articles on Eumpire.com as well. Kind of cool to know that we are in the company of some of those "grizzled veterens" when we post here. I've learned a great deal by reading the articles from the sports I officiate.

Bob, I'm glad you don't just write at eumpire but are willing to post here (and at another site I frequent) ;) These places are bastions(sp???) of knowledge!!!