Obstruction Call- LA Dodgers game

[Mike L]

Any thoughts on what might have been the runner interfering with the throw? It appears the fielder set up inside the line and the runner side-stepped in front of him as the throw arrived.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Any thoughts on what might have been the runner interfering with the throw? It appears the fielder set up inside the line and the runner side-stepped in front of him as the throw arrived.

Interference with a thrown ball must be intentional. It's not interference for the runner to run toward the fielder, though contact would have to be ruled on (as the umpire did in this case).

[Dakota]

re: ASA, penalties, and obstruction.

In ASA there are not two types of obstruction, and in ASA there is no penalty (as in extra punishment, if you will) for committing obstruction. In ASA, the umpire is to award the base the runner would have achieved (in his judgment) if the obstruction had not occurred. So, the runner does not get an extra base, he only gets the base he would have gotten without the obstruction.

Perhaps that helps explain the OP's terminology.