What's the call ?

[Wendelstedt School]

As some have referenced, the umpire should do whatever in his mind would nullify the act of obstruction. In the scenario put forth, though it is up to the judgment of the umpire, we would expect that the umpire would call out the BR for being the following runner when both are tagged with two runners on base. You award all runners where they would have reached. It seems apparent that had the obstruction not occurred, the BR would have been standing on second base, along with R2, the same as the situation played out. This is only when no play is being made on the obstructed runner.
This is not to say, however, that runners cannot be forced beyond their award. For instance, if the BR ended up getting in a rundown between first and second when he was obstructed, the ball would be dead immediately. The rulebook says that you can put runners wherever they would have gone had the obstruction not occurred, but the obstructed runner gets at least one base beyond their position in this situation. This would put the BR at second base. That award would force R2 to third, even though he would not have gotten there had the obstruction not occurred. This, though, is only when a play is being made on the obstructed runner. I hope that this offers another perspective on the play that was presented.

[Four-Oh]

I have the B/R out on this play.

According to my copy of J/R (9th ed.), this play is covered in the discussion of considering action after OBS occurs.

The point they make is that the B/R "is required to realize that R2 has not advanced. The obstruction does not give him license to ignore the actions of his teammate while advancing." (p. 127, 2(c))

Since R2 hasn't advanced, B/R can't acquire it safely, and so can't be protected to that base. It would have been possible, I suppose, to protect B/R's return to first, but that return was not attempted. B/R has advanced past that point and no longer has protection.

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Andrew
#40

[JJ]

OK, then I'm wrong. If it was in JR all along, why the big debate? Feel better?

JJ

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by JJ

OK, then I'm wrong. If it was in JR all along, why the big debate? Feel better?

JJ

J/R isn't God. There have been, and currently are, mistakes.

That said, I'd take his interpretation over this debate.

[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?

[bob jenkins]

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?

Unless forced, the base belongs to the lead runner. So, I don't see anyway to have R2 out in this play (given that he's not tagged until he's back at second). Either BR is out, or BR is at second and R2 is advanced to third.

[mbyron]

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?

Nobody's out until somebody's tagged. If they're both on the base and both are tagged, then BR is out, since the base belongs to R2 until he's forced to advance (as in a force play -- BR's presence by itself does not force R2 to advance).

[LilLeaguer]

So, in two man mechanics, do we see this?

During the play
Plate Umpire: Indicates obstruction, does not call time.

On the tag of B/R:
Field Umpire: Out signal

Seeing action has stopped:
Plate Umpire: Time! Obstruction at first base, you, second base!

Field Umpire: On the tag, you're out!

Or should the Plate Umpire make just eat the earlier acknowledgement of obstruction?

[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?