Type B Obstruction - BAL@BOS
 

3BU Ed Hickox made this call during the 4th inning of last night's Orioles vs. Red Sox game. It is an excellent example of Type B obstruction where a runner is obstructed in one direction, but is protected back instead. Hickox's mechanics are good too, first signalling the obstruction with a point, and then signalling the protected-to base with his other hand.

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http://menotomyjournal.com/mlbvids/obstruction.wmv

I had a similar play which brings up a question.

In my play, F3 and the BR collide slightly after a bad throw to first base. F3 starts to go retrieve the ball as the BR starts to run towards second base and there is brief contact between the two players.

My question, does all of the responsibility belong to the fielder to get out of the way of the runner? Or would it be incidental contact? In my situation, it did not matter because the bad throw had been covered by F4 and the runner was not going to make it to second base.

In OBR you made a good judgement - if you don't think the runner would have obtained the next base he stays put. If you thought he would have made it to the next base award him the next base.

Often times as you described the players are just doing what they should especially if you have a train wreck at first. F3 is just doing his job of trying to catch the ball and the BR is just running to first. Just because there is contact doesn't mean he gets the next base.

Now in FED rules he gets an automatic award of minimum of one base so if you judge obstruction the BR would get second.

Thanks
David

Good job by Ed Hickox - great mechanic great call.

CB Buckner's equipment clear could have used some work though :)

I am curious as to why Joe West came all the way over there though. I know he's the CC, but this isn't a case of him protecting a younger umpire or a call-up. Hickox could have handled it. Instead Joe coming over just escalated the situation. Is there a time when this tactic of a partner coming before the ejection should be used?

I think it was. I've used this before and seen other umpires do the same. I think sometimes you want to spare the coach the ejection and a different face sometimes helps.

And then sometimes it doesn't, depending on what the coach wants.

Thansk
David

I know where I have seen this tactic work in saving a coach.

I too have seen this work at the NCAA level. I'm not sure if I can find the video, but a PU saved a 1st base coach who was hot on the BU at A after a call. Helped that PU was hustling up to the 45 foot line.

Not sure why Joe used this tactic here other than to save the coach. I know rats fairly well, and know that another umpire coming to interrupt their conversation with the original umpire would send them into the tailspin of "I'm not talking to you!" which causes more problems. Little do they know that the other umpire is just trying to save their ***.

I think this tactic best works when a manager isn't being PPP, but has been in conversation with the original umpire for 30 or more seconds. Then you are saving him by getting him off the field in a timely manner, not saving him from PPP. If they've already gone to PPP, they should just be dumped by the original guy.

Just my .02

Okay...if I may ask a question here to put a little different spin on things...let's say that R3 was going back to 3B and he was obstructed going back to 3B as F2 is making a play on him, but he makes it back to 3B and/or was thrown out going back to 3B...since a play was being made on him, does that make this Type 1 OBS and we'd award home to R3...also, during this the B/R has advanced to 2B...where do you place B/R and under what circumstances would you not allow B/R to stay at 2B?

Thanks guys.

Under OBR, if a play is being made on a runner, it's an immediate dead ball. That runner is awarded at least one base, but can be awarded more if the umpire judges he would have done so absent the obstruction (very rare, unless the ball is in the air at the time of the obstruction and is not caught by a fielder).

Other runners are awarded bases that they would have obtained absent the obstruction -- generally, if they are advancing at the time of the obstruction, they are awarded the advance base.

Thank you.