What's the call ?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by ODJ

O.P. -

BR was obstructed AFTER obtaining 1st base. The minimum penalty is BR placed one base beyond, putting him at 2nd. R2 goes to 3rd.

Nope. OBR, type B obstruction. No minimum award.

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by ODJ

What if, on this play the fastest batter-runner is safe at 3rd. Would you call time, and say to the coach - "Coach, your runner is safe at third, but in my opinion he shouldn't have gone past second, so I'm going to put him back at 2nd base." I would hope no one ever says such a thing.

I hope not, either. Runners are allowed to advance past the awarded base, but they're in jeopardy of being out if they do.

[rcaverly]

Originally Posted by ODJ

O.P. -BR was obstructed AFTER obtaining 1st base. The minimum penalty is BR placed one base beyond, putting him at 2nd. R2 goes to 3rd.

As stated elsewhere, the play on the BR was after he touched the base to which the umpire protected him. Nothing else is required by the umpire to nullify the obstruction.

Originally Posted by ODJ

O.P. -Punish the offender - the defense. By calling BR out, where's the penalty?

The first offender was the D when they obstructed the runner. The umpire saw it, called it and protected the runner to the base he would have acquired had there been no offending obstruction.

The next offender was the O when they tried to put two runners on the same base to which only one was entitled. The umpire saw it, called it and retired the trailing runner, the one not entitled to the base.

Originally Posted by ODJ

On a philosophical note: Dave Yeast, former NCAA Coordinator, told an NCAA meeting in '04 to not have an "opinion" of how far you will protect the obstructed runner. Let the play give you the information and base your judgement on the results of the play. His contention was/is that umpires have snap opinions as to how far the runner should advance before the play ends.

It must have been one Hell of a meeting back in '04 with Dave waxing philosophic. But, perhaps the point of his philosophy was that other things can happen after the obstruction, but before the end of continuous action, that may change the base/s to which the umpire may make awards or call outs. Others have referred to it as "post-obstruction evidence," I wasn't there at that particular meeting, but I don't think that philosophy is relevant to the OP.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Durham

Personally, I would get the out on the B/R 9 out of 10 times. I would explain to the head coach that I only protected the B/R back into 1st because 2nd was occupied. But on the occasion where maybe this F3 has a history of obstructing runners or this obstruction was intentional, then as part of game management I would protect him into 2nd and award him 2nd when he reached it and thus award R2 3rd.

I have multiple problems here. First, given that the rules are the rules ... if we see the same exact situation 10 times, it should have the same ruling 10 times out of 10. Second - you're really telling us that you would rule differently in identical situations based solely on your prior knowledge of the habits of the fielder?

Sorry to be frank and blunt ... but that's just awful.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by ODJ

If R2 heads for 3rd, and changing his mind, returns to 2nd.
BR heads for 2nd after seeing R2 running for 3rd. BR looks to RF to locate ball, cruises into 2nd to find R2 there.

Would you have R2 out?

Absolutely... why wouldn't he be?