Obstruction or Interference? Tricky call

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by Sal Giaco

The whole "transfer of protection" is added to soley to illustrate that ANY fielder that is in the act of fielding the ball regardless if it was deflected, who deflected it and where & who it is deflected to, is still protected as long as he is in the act of fielding the ball.

No, not at all. This is a LONG way from what the "transfer of protection" thing was supposed to imply. You're taking the transfer of protection clause and warping it around so that any fielder chasing a deflected batted ball can now be protected --- if this were the case, then why do we even need "Step and a reach" to be taught. This "transfer" SURELY cannot protect a fielder who has deflected the ball 30 feet and is still chasing it. You seem to be throwing the blanket WAY too wide on this one.