Obstruction Call- LA Dodgers game

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Just by his mechanics, umpire is giving a penalty to the defense, not awarding a base due to OBS.

The umpire's mechanics were correct. When the defense plays on a runner and obstructs that runner (as sometimes happens in a rundown), the ball is dead and the obstructed runner is awarded at least one base beyond his last legally touched base.

Here's what I saw the umpire signal:

1. When F5 dropped the throw from F2, U3 signaled "safe" to indicate that there was no infraction on the play and/or that there was no tag.

2. Immediately after that, F5 put a leg hold on the runner to prevent him from returning to the base. U3 pointed at F5 and (presumably) said, "That's obstruction!"

3. I did not notice him signal "Time," but that should have been next.

4. He pointed toward home to instruct the runner that he had been awarded home. I think he said, "That way!"

5. I couldn't quite tell, but in one shot I think I saw that he called time at this point. If there was an erroneous mechanic, that would be it, but frankly it's not much of an error.

In case you're interested, here's the rule:

Originally Posted by OBR Rule 7.06(a)

If a play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batter-runner is obstructed before he touches first base, the ball is dead and all runners shall advance, without liability to be put out, to the bases they would have reached, in the umpire’s judgment, if there had been no obstruction. The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base he had last legally touched before the obstruction. Any preceding runners, forced to advance by the award of bases as the penalty for obstruction, shall advance without liability to be put out.