I guess we will all be umpiring softball next year

[Tim C]

I do not believe it does . . . BUT I will wait for the final rule and interps to make my decision.

Regards,

[GarthB]

Originally Posted by Tim C

I do not believe it does . . . BUT I will wait for the final rule and interps to make my decision.

Regards,

I hope you are correct, Tim. But from my read, it will take a written exception to the new wording for FED to clarify that you are.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by fitump56

Originally Posted by TwoBits
The current softball FED rule considers denying a base without possession of the ball as obstruction, so my comments are assuming (yes, I know, assume) that this will be the model for FED baseball as well.

In FED softball, their are no more train wrecks. You either have:
a) Fielder has ball, runner contacts fielder for a tag out, interference, and/or malicious contact.
b) Fielder does not have ball, runner contacts fielder (unintenionally), obstruction on the fielder.

What if? Excellent question. What will be the standard for this discussion because no matter what you call, it isn't covered in the above.

I Googled around for discussions about these plays which fall between the cracks and for plays where it is impossible to tell if a person is safe or out. The one I found that I liked the most, and intend to adopt, is the concept of rewarding the better play.

In this case, the better play is R advancing since we have F with an error. Since the rule only has two options, and I now have decided to make the interp favor R, then we have OBS.

Originally Posted by Eastshire

So the consensus is that a fielder who loses control of the ball during a tag will be guilty of obstruction?

That seems reasonable on a play where the runner is advancing (1 base award will put him where he would have been under the old rule) but unfair where the runner is returning (pick off at 2nd, F6 loses the ball on the tag, runner gets 3rd).

Unfair, possibly, but I would always lean to the Offense side on OBS with the onus on D to get out of the way. Under the concept of rewarding the better play, the better play is R not the F with an E. If they come up with some other interp, and I doubt they can unlesds they start getting video specific about OBS, then you have to have some mechanism to defend your position on theis new OBS rule.

Once again, the OBR and its variations, always have gaps, what are you going to use to decide how to handle those gaps? This new rule, I am sure it is well intentioned, opens more gaps.

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by TwoBits

Very aware they are two different sports, but it seems as if FED is trying to bring them a little closer together. For example, I figured this new rule would be enforced similar to FED softball.

I agree with this. I don't know if it is by choice or chance or monosexual thesis, but the steel cleat ruling got me to really looking at FED softball just as you have. Slowly creeping, rule by rule, closer and closer to baseball.

[DonInKansas]

According to David Wells, baseball players will be wearing skirts soon anyways. Coincidence?

Linky

[DG]

Originally Posted by GarthB

I believe that a strict reading of the rule change eliminates this exception.

I hope they don't write a rule that says the catcher can't move up the line to try to catch an errant throw without being guilty of obstruction. I still see an occassional train wreck happening.

Now if he stands up the line before the ball is released he is presenting a target and a likely obstruction call is imminent.

[UmpLarryJohnson]

i just DONT see how a fielder moving to catch a OFFLINE throw and contacts the RUNNER (same instant) can be called for OBSTRUCTION. thats a TRAINWRECK. says so on google or something!

how does NCAA call TRAINWRECKS? can a NCAA umpire here comment?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

i just DONT see how a fielder moving to catch a OFFLINE throw and contacts the RUNNER (same instant) can be called for OBSTRUCTION. thats a TRAINWRECK. says so on google or something!

how does NCAA call TRAINWRECKS? can a NCAA umpire here comment?

Trainwreck, as noted before.

[jkumpire]

Friends,

While the razor is usually the best way to go with things like this, I will withhold judgment on if this is a good thing until I see the Case Book. As so many others have said, OBS is a judgment call with guidelines, and a lot of FED coaches will read the rule, make their own judgment, and then start seeing OBS where there wasn't any before.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by UmpLarryJohnson

i just DONT see how a fielder moving to catch a OFFLINE throw and contacts the RUNNER (same instant) can be called for OBSTRUCTION. thats a TRAINWRECK. says so on google or something!

Yes, trainwrecks happen in baseball, but it looks like Fed may make them OBS.