OBS call and aftermath

[PeteBooth]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Pete, is the OBR mechanic to just point at the play and give the verbal? I'd know this if I worked a lot of OBR games and attended the clinics, etc, but I'm mainly a FED softball guy who was helping out my assignor with an uncovered rec hardball game.

I do know about the a and b types of OBS, so the question assumes that this is not an a type OBS.

In OBR you simply point (do not leave arm extended) and say that's OBS.

In OBR there are 2 types of OBS - Type "A" ball immediately dead and Type "B" ball delayed dead.

Type A - is when there is a play on the obstructed runner.

The 2 most common types of Type "A" are a pickoff attempt on the part of F1 or a run-down situation.

In OBR Type "A" the call is

1. TIME
2. That's OBS
3. The obstructed runner gets a minimum of one base beyond the point of OBS regardless if the runner was going forward or back-ward. In the case of a pick-off attempt at first base, even though R1 was diving back into the bag since it's Type A R1 gets second base

In OBR Type "B" there is no play on the obstructed runner as in your OP.

You signal That's Obstruction and keep play alive UNTIL there is a tag attempt on the obstructed runner or the obstructed runner reaches his protected to base.

When there is a tag attempt you make the call - out or safe

Then signal TIME

In OBR Type B you decide which base IF ANY the runner would have achieved absent the OBS.

In your OP under OBR rules, you would have protected the runner to second base only, therefore, if there was a play on R2 at third base and R2 was out, the out call would stand.

In FED there is no such distinction as Type A and Type B as mentioned in FED the obstructed runner is awarded a minimum of one base beyond the point of the OBS.

Pete Booth

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

OBR Type "B" there is no play on the obstructed runner as in your OP.

You signal That's Obstruction and keep play alive UNTIL there is a tag attempt on the obstructed runner or the obstructed runner reaches his protected to base.

When there is a tag attempt you make the call - out or safe

Then signal TIME

In OBR Type B you decide which base IF ANY the runner would have achieved absent the OBS.

Pete:

I have a question about a Type B Obstruction. B/R is obstructed while rounding 2B in attempt to stretch a double into a triple. At the time of the obstruction there no play being made on the B/R, after which a throw is made to F5 at 3B and F5 tags B/R out as he slides into 3B.

Is your above description the correct way to handle the play I just described? Thanks.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. I do agree with you about the DDB signal in NFHS. Just point and announce.

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Pete:

I have a question about a Type B Obstruction. B/R is obstructed while rounding 2B in attempt to stretch a double into a triple. At the time of the obstruction there no play being made on the B/R, after which a throw is made to F5 at 3B and F5 tags B/R out as he slides into 3B.

Is your above description the correct way to handle the play I just described? Thanks.

MTD, Sr.


P.S. I do agree with you about the DDB signal in NFHS. Just point and announce.

As you describe it, as soon as you call him out, you award him 3B if in your opinion he'd have reached 3B minus the OBS. Sometimes (Type B) can me very subtle...but if the runner has to alter his path to the base, the runner who would've been safe minus the OBS, is now out on a banger. That's the point of the Type B. In FED, since they don't have Type B...I may not call OBS on certain plays because I'm not going to award the runner a cheap base. (Only certain situations)

[DG]

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

As you describe it, as soon as you call him out, you award him 3B if in your opinion he'd have reached 3B minus the OBS. Sometimes (Type B) can me very subtle...but if the runner has to alter his path to the base, the runner who would've been safe minus the OBS, is now out on a banger. That's the point of the Type B. In FED, since they don't have Type B...I may not call OBS on certain plays because I'm not going to award the runner a cheap base. (Only certain situations)

In this situation I would not call him out, if I am going to award him the base. I would just call TIME, runner is awarded 3b on the obstruction. And then of course, you will explain it to the defensive coach who is going to come out for explanation.

In FED, all obs is called like type B, in that it is always delayed dead ball. The defense may throw the ball away in a rundown for example, so in FED you let that happen and award bases accordingly.