NCAA and now FED Obstruction
 

In NCAA it is considered obstruction if you block a basepath without the ball and impede the runner. The same is now true in FED. Here's the play for you to rule on:

B1 hits a ground ball to F5. He fields it and throws wildly to the home plate side of first base. F3 jumps for the ball - which goes over his glove - into the path of B1 and they collide. Obstruction? Live ball or dead ball? What about other runners (if any)?

JJ

I am going to pass on calling obstruction because the catcher got pulled because of the bad throw.

You can't punish the catcher for a bad throw.

I say live ball and play on.

seriously?? is this a change for '08??

Yes. Try to keep up. The changes (or at least a press release about them) are on the NFHS web-site.

I'd just have a train wreck in NCAA. I'd like to rule the same way in FED, but according to RefMag (and I know they aren't official, and there are often errors in each issue), it's obstruction under the new FED rule.

This is obstruction.

well now i guess it is :rolleyes:

Assuming the overthrow remains in play, what's your award?

Viewing the new FED rule "as written", this would be obstruction. However, I want to see some official case book interpretations on this type of play.

Regards

And assuming RefMag was correct, it depends on what happens next, but at least one base -- just like all FED obstruction. Since this happened before BR reached first, the "minimum award" is first.

is a FED source cited in Ref Mag?? is this the official interp? if so, this is ridiculous.

this should be a no call - trainwreck

Good, that's what I was thinking, too.

Did F3 have the ball? No
Did he block the basepath? Yes
OBS.

FED - live ball
Other Rs, advance at will.
Award 2B? Probably

They cited some FED rules guy -- Kanaby or Hopkins, iirc..

I've got an email in to Eliott Hopkins to ask for an "official" interp. When it comes I'll pass it along.

I didn't think the NFHS had an online rulebook, even if you were an NFHS member. Guess I'll have to investigate this one, too!

JJ

This should be interesting. In previous years Elliot has repsonded to such questions by referring the questioner to his/her state interpreter. National
spoke only with state clinicians.

Let us know how this goes.