Obstruction?
Situation - NFHS game. Bottom 8, visitors up by one. R3, one out. Ground ball to SS, who throws home. Catcher blocks R3, THEN catches throw and tags runner out. Runner never got to home plate.
Now, this call went my team's way, so I'm certainly not complaining. But I thought it looked like obstruction, but when I came home and re-read the rules, I wasn't quite sure. The rule states that obstruction is "when a runner is obstructed while advancing by a fielder who neither has the ball nor is attempting to make a play." When is the catcher waiting for a throw attempting to make a play? The catcher definitely semed to have blocked, then caught, then tagged. If my perspective is right, should that have been obstruction? |
Why in the world would R3 attempt home on a ball hit to F6? Sounds like foolishness was punished.
If the play is 'imminent', its not obstruction, ie, if F2 had to be where he was in order to catch F6's throw. 'imminent' = plate umpire's judgement |
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Catcher blocks R3, THEN catches throw and tags runner out.
Catcher blocks R3 ... then catches throw...... obstruction all day long |
Catcher blocks R3, then catches ball ...... obstruction all day long in my judgement
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Incidentally, the ball was hit up the middle, so F6 had to go to his left to field the ball before turning and throwing home. No doubt R3 should have gone home on that - took a great play by the SS and the catcher to get him. |
I got a fantastic play, no obs. Catcher is in the act of making a play, A catch and tag of a runner, Doesn't need the ball in most rule sets, I believe NCAA he has to have ball right??
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If by "block" in that sentence, you mean the catcher was in the path of the runner and the runner contacted the catcher, then I agree with you - OBS. (And I would note that the runner's path DID alter - it was altered by the contact with the catcher). If by "block", you merely mean that the catcher was in the path - but had no effect on the runner, then this is NOT OBS. |
Obstruction
We were pretty much taught that if the fielder does not have the ball it is obstruction. "Imminent" is too vague and leaves too much discretion. If you always call it that way, if nothing else you'll be consistent.
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Taught by whom - when? OBR, FED, NCAA, LL? They all use different interpretations. "Imminent" is too vague and leaves too much discretion. That's why you get the big bucks - to decide those things. Get some advice from more experienced folks and learn how to call it. If you always call it that way, if nothing else you'll be consistent. But often wrong. |
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