Obstruction/confusion

[Uncle Ernie]

Originally Posted by Prince

OBR, no; Fed, depends
Refer to the 2006 NFHS rule change in 8-3-2.

The rule change was not a rule change. It was an editorial change that clarified the obstruction rule. It read, in part, "...When a runner is obstructed while advancing or returning to a base by a fielder who neither has the ball nor is attempting to make a play, or a fielder without the ball fakes a tag, if the runner achieves the base he was attempting to acquire then the obstruction is ignored..."

As I understand it, we didn't have any rule support for ignoring Obstruction. Now we do.

However, this does not change the fact that in FED, you still award one base beyond the base last legally aquired when the obstrution occured.

How can you make an award of an obstruction call that has been ignored? You can't. That's exactly why this rule change was made. To bring the Fed obstruction rule more or less in line with OBR.

Leo

[UmpJM]

Originally Posted by Prince

How can you make an award of an obstruction call that has been ignored? You can't. That's exactly why this rule change was made. To bring the Fed obstruction rule more or less in line with OBR.

Leo

Leo,

The FED Obstruction rule is materially different from the OBR Obstruction rule - and the editorial change did not change that.

Under FED, if the Obstructed runner reaches the base he would have absent the obstruction AND that base is (at least) one base beyond his position at the time of Obstruction, then the Obstruction is ignored and no award is made.

If both conditions are not met, the Obstructed runner is awarded a minimum of one base.

JM