New obstruction rule and 1st baseman play.
 

Has the new obstruction rule (HS and College) influenced the train wreck at first? A fielder cannot be in the base path without the ball, so a first baseman must let the runner pass and then go after the ball.

Or do we still have train wrecks and thats baseball? Can a first baseman go after the ball with a runner heading to first?

Is first any different from home plate?

I don't think the correct application of the rule eliminates train wrecks.

The FED rule is different from the NCAA rule is this type of play. A train wreck is far mar likely to be just that in NCAA. In FED, if the collision "denies access" to the base for the runner, then it's obstrcution, and not a train wreck. Basically, the defense is given *more* responsibility for making a bad throw in FED than in NCAA.

I have seen more of this at home than at first -- and most of the coaches (and umpires) around here think it's a "bad" rule.

Yes, there are still train wrecks in HS ball. Given the OBS rule, they require that the ball, the fielder, and the runner all arrive at the same spot at the same time.

So if the throw to F3 pulls him off the base toward home and there's a collision with the runner, AND if he makes some kind of contact with the thrown ball, that will probably not be OBS. If the throw is so wide that F3 can't touch it and he still collides with the BR, that will likely be OBS.

The situation at home is different of course because of the requirement that the runner slide or avoid contact. But the same kind of train wreck is possible there: ball, runner, fielder arriving at the same point at the same time.

We have to watch the timing of the arrival of the ball carefully when there's a collision. If the ball was late, it's probably OBS. If the ball was early and there's still a big collision, it could be malicious contact.

These are surely some of the most demanding calls we make.

Obstruction
 

I have been on this forum for a while and you guys are the best! Thanks for clearing this up for me and I am sure others.

NCAA says obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. I don't see how it's significantly different from FED. Is there an interpretation that I may have missed?

Yes, NCAA and NFHS have different interpretations of "denying access" to a base.