In a game I did yesterday the right handed first baseman for the home team was holding the runner on first. In doing so he would place his right foot on the inside of the bag with his toes pointing directly at second base. The real problem was his foot was right where you would teach your players to touch when diving back to the bag. With his foot in this position he still gave the runner 10 or 11" of bag. When the visiting team complained and said this was obstruction I ruled that it wasn't obstruction until there was a play. I believe this is a poor defensive position and would not coach my first baseman to play there, but if thats where is coach wants him to play so be it. This game was being played under FED rules.

AS long as F3 is in the process of making a play (as he is during a pick-off throw) the position is legal.

Fed case play / interp from last year.

I had a similar situation when I was coaching last fall. As soon as the runner would get a lead, the first baseman would block out all except the back couple of inches on the bag. I wanted an obstruction call, but it was Fall Ball, where the league only pays for a PU and puts a volunteer out as a BU. The BU for this game didn't have a clue what to do, and there was no way that the PU could be expected to get a view. His advice was to have my players spike him a few times and he'd quit.

I don't really know if I would have called it obstruction had I been the BU. But it was frustrating, since our fall leagues are supposed to be instructional, and his daddy/coach was teaching him to use his size to intimidate rather than teaching him good, solid baseball.

~~Dan

Teaching a Lesson
 

If a player is going to do something out of the ordinary like this, then I would probably have my players do something out of the ordinary as well and go babk into first base feet first. I bet after a few "accidental" spikes to the ankle the firstbaseman would change his position.

<i> Originally posted by Porch Dog </i>

<b> In a game I did yesterday the right handed first baseman for the home team was holding the runner on first. In doing so he would place his right foot on the inside of the bag with his toes pointing directly at second base. The real problem was his foot was right where you would teach your players to touch when diving back to the bag. With his foot in this position he still gave the runner 10 or 11" of bag. When the visiting team complained and said this was obstruction I ruled that it wasn't obstruction until there was a play. I believe this is a poor defensive position and would not coach my first baseman to play there, but if thats where is coach wants him to play so be it. This game was being played under FED rules. </b>

Check out FED Case Play 8.3.2(G)

F3, in taking a throw from F1 on a pickoff attempt, places his foot (or feet) in front of the bag as he is attempting to catch the throw, which prevents R1 from getting back to the base.

<b> Ruling: </b> F3 is considered to be in legal position if there is a reasonable chance for him to receive the thrown ball before the runner reaches the spot. Therefore, r1, would be out.

All of this is judgement, but if F3 sets up ahead of time meaning before F1 even throws the ball to him / her, then you would have obstruction. If F3 goes down on a knee when F1 releases the ball, then in accordance with the above Case-Play you have no obstruction.


Pete Booth