ncaa - obstruction

[ggk]

i just looked in 2005 and 2006 ncaa rule books (they're available online) and the obstruction definition appears to be identical as 2007. does anyone know when this change was made in ncaa?

secondly, is this rule strictly enforced in ncaa is or there some leeway given when a player is truly reaching into a runners path for a throw and about to catch the ball.
thanks.

[Rich Ives]

[QUOTE=ggk]i just looked in 2005 and 2006 ncaa rule books (they're available online) and the obstruction definition appears to be identical as 2007. does anyone know when this change was made in ncaa?

QUOTE]

Before 2003. LL changed it's rule in 2003 and it was based on and after the NCAA change.

[johnnyg08]

if you're finding the same rule for ncaa OBS back to 2005...does it matter at this point if it was 2004 or 1984? The rule is the rule now.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by ggk

i just looked in 2005 and 2006 ncaa rule books (they're available online) and the obstruction definition appears to be identical as 2007. does anyone know when this change was made in ncaa?

secondly, is this rule strictly enforced in ncaa is or there some leeway given when a player is truly reaching into a runners path for a throw and about to catch the ball.
thanks.

It's reasonably strictly enforced, but I'm not sure the example you gave applies. A fielder is allowed to move in an attempt to catch an errant throw, and if that movement takes him into the runner's path, that's legal. The rule is designed to prevent blocking the base before having posession of the ball -- think of a fielder dropping a knee to block a runner on a pick-off before receiving the ball.

[newump]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

It's reasonably strictly enforced, but I'm not sure the example you gave applies. A fielder is allowed to move in an attempt to catch an errant throw, and if that movement takes him into the runner's path, that's legal. The rule is designed to prevent blocking the base before having posession of the ball -- think of a fielder dropping a knee to block a runner on a pick-off before receiving the ball.

i understand, but is there an official ncaa interp or case play that speaks to this? i'd like to have some documentation to support a "no call" that i have on a play that i determined was a "train wreck". by the literal reading of the rule, the defense would be penalized if they reached into the path of a runner and impeded the runner's progress in an attempt to catch an errant throw. unless they catch the ball prior to contact. i think there was some previous posting about the new fed rule which indicated that it was going to be very strictly interpreted.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by newump

i understand, but is there an official ncaa interp or case play that speaks to this?

Yes.

But, I don't know specifically where it is (assuming you looked in the rules book and it's not there). I'd start with the eofficials site.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by msavakinas

for 2008, I'm gonna get eofficials and combined ABUA membership package. I was wondering about getting eofficials membership for basketball as well, does it cost extra? also does the 85 dollar total membership for eofficials cover an entire year or whatnot? I've e-mailed and called customer service but they won't call me back at all or anything.

Don't know, but you don't need to pay anything to access the NCAA portion of the site.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by msavakinas

i'm struggling to get to the rules portion without being asked for credit card information

On the main screen, the items at the "top section" of the menu (including ESO Rules Excel" are, I think, fee based.

The items at the bottom, including NCAA, are not. Click on NCAA, register, then click on NCAA and enter the uid, etc. Click on Baseball.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by newump

i understand, but is there an official ncaa interp or case play that speaks to this? i'd like to have some documentation to support a "no call" that i have on a play that i determined was a "train wreck". by the literal reading of the rule, the defense would be penalized if they reached into the path of a runner and impeded the runner's progress in an attempt to catch an errant throw. unless they catch the ball prior to contact. i think there was some previous posting about the new fed rule which indicated that it was going to be very strictly interpreted.

I think you sufficiently understand the NCAA obstruction rule, you are just second guessing your call of it being a "trainwreck."

I don't know how restrictive the Fed rule is going to be but, I can't see them penalizing a defensive player for attempting to make a legitimate effort to mak a play. This is not football but, it sure the heck ain't tennis either.

Then again, you never know!

[JJ]

The 2008 FED Rule book says, page 23, under definition of obstruction, Rule 2-22 ART 3, "The fielder without possession of the ball denies access to the base the runner is attempting to achieve." That quoted part is the new part of the definition.

The 2008 Case book offers a play at the plate where the catcher blocks the plate prior to gaining possession of the ball, and calls it obstruction if the catcher "denied access to the plate prior to securely possessing the ball."

The actual penalty for obstruction has not changed from previous years.
I'm confident the FED will offer several more interps of the "train wreck" plays that can happen at first base as well as at home plate.

JJ