Slide or avoid Contact

[TussAgee11]

The catcher, in FED, has the right to field the ball "when a play is immenant", correct?

Thanks.

[Chukinrox]

Any player has the right to make a play on the a throw or batted ball when a play is imminant. You can't tell afielder that they have to let a ground ball go through the infield because a baserunner was running in the baseline at the same time the ball was there.

[DG]

Originally Posted by TussAgee11

The catcher, in FED, has the right to field the ball "when a play is immenant", correct?

Thanks.

Any catcher, under any rules, has the right to catch a ball where it is thrown.

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by DG

Any catcher, under any rules, has the right to catch a ball where it is thrown.

I don't believe this to be true... under NCAA codes, even if the fielder is "in the act of fielding the ball", he is guilty of obstruction if "while not in posession of the ball, (he) impedes the progress of any runner."

(NCAA Rule 2)

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by ctblu40

I don't believe this to be true... under NCAA codes, even if the fielder is "in the act of fielding the ball", he is guilty of obstruction if "while not in posession of the ball, (he) impedes the progress of any runner."

(NCAA Rule 2)

LL now has the rule (similar to NCAA, ASA and Fed Softball) that the fielder must HAVE the ball to block the base(path).

This, of course, is referring to a thrown ball. Someone above mentioned a SS fielding a grounder-that is a whole other bucket of slugs altogether.

Joe

[ozzy6900]

Originally Posted by ctblu40

I don't believe this to be true... under NCAA codes, even if the fielder is "in the act of fielding the ball", he is guilty of obstruction if "while not in posession of the ball, (he) impedes the progress of any runner."

(NCAA Rule 2)

Official Interpretation from Dave Yeast: While a fielder may not block the base without the ball, a fielder may move into the path of a runner if he must do so to make a play, i.e., glove a throw. (San Diego MTG, Jan. 4/5, 2003)

[ctblu40]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Official Interpretation from Dave Yeast: While a fielder may not block the base without the ball, a fielder may move into the path of a runner if he must do so to make a play, i.e., glove a throw. (San Diego MTG, Jan. 4/5, 2003)

Hmmm.... I stand corrected. I hadn't heard of this interpretation. Thanks for setting me straight.

[DG]

Originally Posted by ctblu40

I don't believe this to be true... under NCAA codes, even if the fielder is "in the act of fielding the ball", he is guilty of obstruction if "while not in posession of the ball, (he) impedes the progress of any runner."

(NCAA Rule 2)

In NCAA a catcher can not block the plate without the ball, but that assumes he sets up at the plate with purpose to block the plate. But in any game by any rules if he goes up the line to catch a wide throw he is not blocking the plate, he is fielding his position. If a train wreck happens, it happens. What you want the catcher to do, stand at the pate and say to himelf "I can't go after that wide throw, it might be considered obstruction"?

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by DG

But in any game by any rules if he goes up the line to catch a wide throw he is not blocking the plate, he is fielding his position. If a train wreck happens, it happens. What you want the catcher to do, stand at the pate and say to himelf "I can't go after that wide throw, it might be considered obstruction"?

I know of no such ruling for Little League Baseball for such an allowance. (In Fed and ASA Softball there is no such allowance.) You cannot block without the ball period.

Joe

[bluezebra]

"The catcher, in FED, has the right to field the ball "when a play is immenant", correct?"

"Any player has the right to make a play on the a throw or batted ball when a play is imminant."

**Even when a play is IMMINENT.

"You can't tell afielder that they have to let a ground ball go through the infield because a baserunner was running in the baseline at the same time the ball was there."

**This has nothing to do with the question. Totally irrelevant.

Bob

[DG]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I know of no such ruling for Little League Baseball for such an allowance. (In Fed and ASA Softball there is no such allowance.) You cannot block without the ball period.

Joe

Does LL Baseball interpret their OBR rules differently than MLB, or not at all? The catcher is not blocking the plate if he has to move up the line to catch a wide throw.

[Dave Hensley]

Originally Posted by jwwashburn

I know of no such ruling for Little League Baseball for such an allowance. (In Fed and ASA Softball there is no such allowance.) You cannot block without the ball period.

Joe

Little League has adopted the NCAA version of obstruction, and it has also adopted the NCAA interpretation that allows a fielder to come into the runner's path to field a throw. The LL interp was published in one of its quarterly Fair Ball newsletters.

[jwwashburn]

Originally Posted by Dave Hensley

Little League has adopted the NCAA version of obstruction, and it has also adopted the NCAA interpretation that allows a fielder to come into the runner's path to field a throw. The LL interp was published in one of its quarterly Fair Ball newsletters.

I am glad to hear it.

If you are able to find the exact publication date, that would be very helpful.

Thanks!

Joe

[Cub42]

In this situation, from how you described the play, I have incidental contact.Obstruction seems a bit of a stretch here. The key here is was the contact " malicious". I have nothing here.
KCB