Obstruction on Pickoff

[bossman72]

OBR

F3 is positioned with his right foot on the corner of first base that points towards the mound. When the pickoff throw comes from F1, he takes his whole foot and puts it length wise on the second base side of first base to block the runner diving back and applies the tag.

Would this be obstruction or legal since he is in the act of fielding the ball?

[joelope]

I guess it would be a judgement call. If he intentionally put his foot there, which what it sounds like to me, he is denying access to the base. I would call obstruction.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by bossman72

OBR

F3 is positioned with his right foot on the corner of first base that points towards the mound. When the pickoff throw comes from F1, he takes his whole foot and puts it length wise on the second base side of first base to block the runner diving back and applies the tag.

Would this be obstruction or legal since he is in the act of fielding the ball?

OK several points here.

First, receiving a pickoff throw from F1 is not "fielding the ball," a phrase generally reserved for a batted ball. The protection a fielder has while fielding a batted ball he has ONLY on a batted ball.

In OBR, the fielder can block the base once F1 has thrown the ball. The play you describe is HTBT, but it's possible under OBR that your play is legal.

FYI, FED has made this play OBS: F3 cannot deny access to the base until he has the ball.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by bossman72

OBR

F3 is positioned with his right foot on the corner of first base that points towards the mound. When the pickoff throw comes from F1, he takes his whole foot and puts it length wise on the second base side of first base to block the runner diving back and applies the tag.

Would this be obstruction or legal since he is in the act of fielding the ball?

OBR: Legal.

NCAA: Obstruction, if the "contact" happened before F3 caught the ball; legal if the contact happened after F3 caught the ball (the timing of the placing of the foot is not relevant)

FED: Legal, assuming the F3's foot is shorter than the side of the base (15") -- F3 has left access to part of the base, even if it's not the part R1 wanted (see 8.3.2G, 8.3.2L). If the entire base is blocked, then the same as NCAA.

[_Bruno_]

Originally Posted by mbyron

In OBR, the fielder can block the base once F1 has thrown the ball. The play you describe is HTBT, but it's possible under OBR that your play is legal.

where did you get that from ?

regards

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by _Bruno_

where did you get that from ?

regards

Standard OBR interp (J/R, etc.) is that a fielder may block a base if a play is "imminent," where "imminent" is defined as the ball over the infield. So, if F2 blocks the plate when the outfielder still has the ball, that's OBS; if he blocks it when the ball is over the infield, he's OK.

Since the throw from F1 to F3 on a pickoff is always an "imminent" play, F3 is OK to block the base once F1 has thrown the ball.

QED.

[_Bruno_]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Standard OBR interp (J/R, etc.) is that a fielder may block a base if a play is "imminent," where "imminent" is defined as the ball over the infield. So, if F2 blocks the plate when the outfielder still has the ball, that's OBS; if he blocks it when the ball is over the infield, he's OK.

Since the throw from F1 to F3 on a pickoff is always an "imminent" play, F3 is OK to block the base once F1 has thrown the ball.

QED.

thanks ;-)

[UmpJM]

falsecut,

In FED, the standard convention is that "dashes" are used for Rule Book cites and "dots" are used for Case Book cites.

Bob is referencing the Case Book.

JM