Obstruction or Interference? Tricky call

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by Durham

Furthermore how can you call obstruction on someone that has the ball in their hand and then gets run into? Even if he doesn't quiet have the ball, AR3 states immediate reach, and the ball was that if not in the fielder's hand. This is interference as per AR3.

1) iirc, F1 did not have the ball when the contact occured. If he did, then it's a train wreck.

2) AR3 applies only when the deflection keeps the ball in the immediate reach. As soon as F1 has to move, he's not protected, even when he gets back to within immediate reach of the ball.