Obstruction???

[David M]

Runner on second attempts to steal third. Catchers throw is high and goes into left field. The runner slides and the third baseman falls on top of him. The runner then gets up with some difficulty, as the third baseman is on top of him, and gets thrown out at the plate on a very close play. The third baseman in no way intentionally blocked the runner from getting up. Is this obstruction?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by David M

Runner on second attempts to steal third. Catchers throw is high and goes into left field. The runner slides and the third baseman falls on top of him. The runner then gets up with some difficulty, as the third baseman is on top of him, and gets thrown out at the plate on a very close play. The third baseman in no way intentionally blocked the runner from getting up. Is this obstruction?

If both players were tangled up because of a bad throw and a slide, then I have nothing. If the fielder did everything to get off the runner, I have got nothing. The runner or coach should have used better judgment. All contact does not warrant a call either way.

Peace

I had a very similar situation this weekend. Nobody on, no outs. Ground ball to third baseman, throws high and wide of first base. First baseman moves 3-6 feet down the line towards home, and leaps to make the catch, but cannot reach the ball. Runner attempts to avoid contact but clips the legs of the first baseman. Two tangled bodies fall to the ground. Fielder gets up to retrieve the ball, but the runner is literally on his back. The runner is carried about 10 feet toward foul territory. They untangle, runner touches first and is thrown out at second trying to stretch the hit to an infield double. I had nothing on the play, and didn't get any flak from anybody.

[TussAgee11]

I had one this weekend: man on third 2 outs. Past ball, catcher gets it and runs back to the plate with the ball in hand. Runner is easily going to be out. He tries to run around the catcher (not out of the baseline), and the catcher kind of slides his feet in a way the defender does in basketball. I could have called "BLOCK, 2 shots!", but instead I got the runner for player control, he extended his arms, and informed him that was his 5th foul and he need to go.

Didn't get any flack from the coach, the league president was there and said between innings, "thanks ump!".

[LMan]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

I had one this weekend: man on third 2 outs. Past ball, catcher gets it and runs back to the plate with the ball in hand. Runner is easily going to be out. He tries to run around the catcher (not out of the baseline), and the catcher kind of slides his feet in a way the defender does in basketball. I could have called "BLOCK, 2 shots!", but instead I got the runner for player control, he extended his arms, and informed him that was his 5th foul and he need to go.

Didn't get any flack from the coach, the league president was there and said between innings, "thanks ump!".

[JLMatthew]

TexasAgee11:
That is a really funny way of describing this play...and being a basketball referee I think I understand it.

LMan:
You have to think like a basketball official...I will try to explain. (Tex, please correct me if I'm wrong)

"and the catcher kind of slides his feet in a way the defender does in basketball. I could have called "BLOCK, 2 shots!", " Typically on this play the catcher will try to dive towards the runner with glove/ball extended to tag the runner out, this catcher moved his feet to cause contactsimilar to a block/charge in basketball. The catcher did not gain legal gaurding position which is required for a player control foul on the offensive player in basketball...hence the block call...However,

"but instead I got the runner for player control, he extended his arms" This motion is not legal in baseball...ergo, runner is at fault for the excessive contact.

"and informed him that was his 5th foul and he need to go." In basketball you foul out on your fifth personal foul. On this play Tex jugded the contact initiated by the runner to be malicious, therefore the runner was ejected.

"Didn't get any flack from the coach, the league president was there and said between innings, "thanks ump!". Coaches and league president thought it was a good call.

So TexAgee11...did I interpret the analogy correctly? Peace.