Microphones for umpires?

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I've stayed out of this, but there are a few things in this thread that bear mentioning.

All codes but OBR have gone to "all obstruction is type B." In those codes, all play indeed does go until everything is completed and THEN the umpires place runners where they think they should go absent the obstruction. To stop the play would be, in essence, saying that type B becomes type A and that's simply not the case.

I treat OBR games exactly the same.

I don't like OBR OBS but I won't make a significant rule interp like this.

Saying that because R1 was put out by a step means that he would've been safe because the obstruction cost him a step is too simplistic in the case where more than one thing happens after the obstruction. No argument if R1 continued to third and was put out by a step there. No argument if R1 headed directly back to second and was put out by a step there. But R1 went to third, thought better of it, and tried to get back to second. Different story.

Once OBS occurs, then all things considered need to be in favor of the offense. If not, you are, in essence, protecting the rule violation by the defense. I bend over backwards to reward the offense and to penalize the dfense where judgment is allowed. I simply do not understand why the D doesn't get the hell out of the way.