Obstruction?

Originally Posted by bigda65

Big guy,

You are PU, Bottom 7, score tied, 2 outs, R2.
Batter hits a single up the middle and R2 goes on contact.
3rd base coach sends runner, meanwhile F2 setup right in front of the plate, while F8 has thrown a bullet.
Runner slides and comes up short, because he slid into F2's shin guards.
You count one-thousand one then catcher catches ball and lays a tag on runner.
You call time, "thats obstruction" and award runner home -- game over.

I am the defensive manager and come out and ask "Whatya got bigguy"?

What are you going to say??

There are several things I'm going to look at. How far in front of the plate has F2 set up - does F2 completely prevent access to the plate or has R2 just slid into him in the worst possible spot. Does the catcher actually have the ball.

Several scenarios
a) F2 directly adjacent to HP and blocking completely and by so blocking prevented R2 from reaching HP on the slide - OBS
b) F2 directly adjacent to HP and only blocking 1/2 of HP - NO OBS
c) F2 set up 2' in front of HP. If R2 would have reached HP on the slide absent the contact - OBS, if not, NO OBS.

In each of the scenarios above, I have assumed that F2 did not have possession of the ball.

All of these require judgment calls, but judgment of the YES/NO type, not how close is the ball relative to the play.

But to answer your question how am I going to deal with the defensive coach.

Coach, this is the way I saw it, first of all your catcher was completely blocking the plate, preventing the runner from reaching home and it is my judgment that absent the catcher blocking the plate that the runner would have reached home plate before the throw and tag. Second, the catcher did not have possession of the ball. In my judgment that is obstruction and I awarded the runner home plate.

Let's put the shoe on the other foot and talk to the offensive coach about why it was not obstruction.

Coach, this is the way I saw it. Although the catcher was blocking the plate, it was not blocked completely. Second, the runner in my opinion slid short and would not have reached home plate in the absence of contact. When you add those two factors together there is no obstruction and the runner is out.

Again I have not taken into account the proximity of the ball to the catcher at the time of contact.

I have to look at two things only
- 1) Does the action of F2 provide him an unfair advantage. 2) If the answer is yes does he have the ball

If yes to both - runner out
If 1 yes and 2 no, OBS

If no to both - runner out

The fact that the catcher does or does not have the ball IS NOT THE MAIN FACTOR. It is the differentiating factor only after a judgment that the contact in and of itself is obstruction and gives the defensive team an advantage.

I would have no problems explaining my position to either side.

I hope I answered your question satisfactorily.