Plate Blocking Question
 

I've searched but couldn't find an answer to this question.

Is there a distinction in the rules (at any level) that allows for a baserunner to crash into the catcher in an attempt to dislodge the ball, but not crash into a fielder at another base?

I'm a USSSA softball umpire, and the applicable rule there is similar--I think--to the rule that seems to govern baseball runners going to 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, namely (and I'm paraphrasing): If a fielder is in possession of the ball and is waiting to make a tag, the runner must slide or attempt to go immediately around the fielder. That is, they can't barrel into a defensive player who is in possession of the ball.

Situations:

Runner on 1st. Base hit to RF. Runner rounds 2nd and heads for third. F9 throws a laser. F5 fields the ball in front of the bag (in the basepath) with the runner still 15 feet away. Runner maintains "ramming speed" (Animal House) and barrels into F5. Ball comes loose and runner touches 3rd. I assume he's ruled out for interference, correct?

Same situation but at the plate. In MLB, at least, the runner is safe at home, right?

(Assume each fielder only enters the basepath after he's in possession of the ball, so there's nothing close to obstruction.)

Is there something in the MLB rules that addresses this difference? Or is it an "unwritten rule" that the runner's allowed to do this when home plate is the destination?

Also, what, if any, are the differences in NCAA or Federation highschool?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

THere's no difference in FED, NCAA or OBR between plays at the plate and plays at other bases.

Not interference. In FED, malicious contact. Out and ejected. In any league with slide or avoid modified OBR rules, safe and ejected. In straight OBR, runner is safe, and will be dealt with later by the opposition (i.e., spiked, thrown at, etc.)

Steve,

Actually in most leagues I have seen with "...slide or avoid modified OBR rules...", the runner is OUT and is ejected if the contact is deemed malicious.

Like USSSA (baseball), for example:

JM

Yeah, that may have changed somewhat over the years, and probably varies from org to org. I do remember PONY baseball only ejecting, but calling the runner safe if the ball was dislodged. This was back in the dinosaur age, IIRC.:)

This has been my experience as well.

At one time PONY took the result of the play and an ejection. According to the umpire coordinator at the time, this was specifically aimed at contact after the runner reached the plate/base.

cool, thanks for the OBR, FED, NCAA stances.

but.....does anyone know why it's apparently ok in MLB for the runner coming home to do his best Mike Alstott impression?

Because the rules allow it. It has always been accepted in a sport where "Men are Men" "Women are Slaves" and the Sheep are all nervous" ?????

I did a semi-pro league several years back where the catcher got wiped out twice in one game. First time he dropped the ball, second time he recorded the out. Each time he picked up his head and went back to catching. That was the OBR rules they adopted and accepted.

I still remember Pete Rose runing into the catcher during and AllStar game. Of course he would run into a wall if the coach asked him to.

There is no malicious contact rule in OBR.

most leagues in MN play modified OBR with no malicious...in fact, they use the NCAA collision rule at home and the OBR collision or FPSR on 1B, 2B, 3B

Adult leagues, you mean.

OBR shaving age
 

That runner will be beaned next at bat or maybe get cleats to the ear.

yes, thank you

NCAA has a malicious rule, OBR does not have a collision rule or FPSR.

I must confess to being confused by the whole of the responses now. Because it seems like some are saying it is legal (or at least isn't illegal) to run over the catcher.

It's my understanding that MLB (and maybe NCAA) allows a runner to crash and dislodge the ball from a catcher, but doesn't allow a runner to crash and dislodge the ball from the other infielders.

Assuming that is the case, then there is a discrepancy.

And the discrepancy is either accounted for in the rules (i.e., the rulebook makes an exception for intentional collisions at the plate), or the discrepancy is a result of an "unofficial" rule.

It seems as though the book in MLB and NCAA prohibits crashing into any defender. Correct? But that "unofficially," this isn't ever called at the plate.

(Note: this is simple curiosity from a baseball fan and a football/softball/lacrosse official. I'm not criticizing anyone!;))

MLB (and MiLB too) has no malicious contact rule. NCAA and FED do, so they're different.

OBR thus does not prohibit crashing any fielder at any base. You're right to observe that you don't see it at other bases: at 1B, of course, it wouldn't make sense.

At 2B and 3B you don't see it because crashing a fielder doesn't make baserunning sense: on a force play it does no good, and on a tag play you're likely to end up off the base and tagged out anyway for the trouble.

It's also against baserunning tradition, and as you point out there's an unwritten rule against it. That's a rule that the players enforce among themselves: the umpires do not enforce it.

The existence of unwritten rules and enforcement (usually a fastball in the ribs) is part of what led amateur ball to add a MC rule including a penalty enforce by umpires.

Some of the modified OBR games around here do have a malicious piece that is enforced by the umpires. There's no point in the adult league rule set that has the word malicious in the rule set. It simply says "pro slide rule will be used at 1B,2B,&3B. College Slide will be used at home." I wish they'd use the proper terminology though. Without a malicious element in there, we have to interpret straight OBR guidelines.

Your understanding is incorrect.

A crash will rarely take place at a base other than home plate for the simple reason that the runner is not in jeopardy if they tag an overrun home plate.

If a crash take place at second base, there's a pretty good chance that you are going to have MC on the play.

Or possible willful and deliberate interference w/ the intent to break up a double play if playing OBR