Obstruction or Interference? Tricky call

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Durham

Tim in Jim's stich the 2nd baseman is chasing the ball and not picking it up or has it in his hand. It is also a 2nd baseman and not a pitcher.

Roder also states chasing, this pitcher wasn't chasing it, he either had it or was picking it up, fielding it, not chasing.

I don't need to and I won't name drop, but 4 people were asked to assist the conference commisioner in his decision making process, 3 of us were in agreement that it was int. 1 felt it was obs. I was the least senior of the 4, but 2 are CWS umpires and 1 a DI conference coordinator. I'll stick with the 2 that looked at the original video, talked with the 2 umpires, both called me after the game, and ruled on this specific play.

We do feel that pending the outcome of the protest, the NCAA would be wise to define chasing. If the ball is deflected, does chasing end when the fielder has the ball in hand or when it is in his immediate reach?

Well, 3 of you blew it.

This is an enhanced full screen version played in super slow mo and the moment of OBS captured. The pitcher does not have possession.

Unfortunately my program cannot export this slow motion section. I might be able to convert it and do a better job, but the trip up is clear as day. The BR is tripped up and impeded prior to the pitcher having the ball. There is no need to guess on this play, the video captured it.. even scratchy sucky FLV shows it. If you have a better version, especially MPEG, I could tear it apart frame by frame or do a slow mo looping version of just this section.