The Official Forum - Obstruction....

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Quote:

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

If the offense commits the malicious contact, you return the runners.

In NCAA, if there's both obstruction and malicious contact, award the base and eject the runner.

As I said...you place the runners...in the case of malicious offense...you would place the runners where they belong...

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPatrino

Johnny, a couple of threads up, someone opined...catcher obstruction, award the runner home....

I agree, no obstruction or interference, but maybe malicious contact?

I agree...maybe malicious...would have to see it though can't decide with the info given...

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

As I said...you place the runners...in the case of malicious offense...you would place the runners where they belong...

Not true. It's not "where they belong" -- it's the base last reached (in FED).

which is where they belong. i'm done arguing semantics...you know what i mean...and if you don't...oh well...

"malicious offense?" Malicious contact can also be caused by the defense.

yeah, I'm piling on, sue me

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindofficial

So being a 1st year umpire, I still have some questions the rules. One of the being obstruction and a play at the plate. If there is going to be an obvious play at the plate and the runner charges over the catcher, can you eject him for obstruction? Am I reading too much into the rules?

How do you handle an obvious play at the plate where the runner has no choice but to run over the catcher in order to get to the plate because the catcher is blocking it?

Since you are a first year umpire, you probably do not work high school baseball, and more likely work youth ball. Also most likely you umpire games played under modified OBR (pro) rules, or Little League rules.

So, disregard the part about Malicious Contact superceding Obstruction if you are using these rules, and not using FED. In these modified OBR games, the runner is safe on the Obstruction, and is then ejected for smearing the catcher.