Obstruction Mechanics
 

Hard ground ball between F5 and F6. R2 is advancing to 3B. F5 is moving to 3B as there might be a play. R2 and F5 get to the bag at the same time and there is contact. R2 rounds base and starts toward home. F7 comes up throwing and coach screams back. No play at third. Coach starts screaming "thats interference" and BU follows with "that is interference" and waves runner to home.
Aside from the fact that it should be obstruction, is there an umpires signal that indicates obstruction while the play is occurring? The BU had clear view of the play but didn't make any indication of a call until after the play completed and coach started screaming. 15U travel ball playing FED rules.

frozenrope,

The calling umpire points at the general vicinity where the obstruction occurs and says, "THAT'S OBSTRUCTION!!".

JM

1) Point with the left hand

2) In STRICT FED mechanics (often not used, even in FED games), hold the left arm out with the hand in a fist until the play is over.

3) Call time before making the award. ;)

Please do not hold out your left arm as the FED book shows - that is a softball mechanic and looks like crap on the baseball field! Just point with the left hand and say (nice and loud) "THAT"S OBSTRUCTION!". If you're lucky, everyone will stop and make it nice and easy to make the base award(s).

If you (as PU or BU) have an obstruction call where the obstructed runner is "tagged out" due to the obstruction, do you make an out signal, and then call time and indicate the obstruction?

For example, this happened to me a couple of games back (I'm PU, one umpire game):
R1 trying to advance to 3rd on a base hit. Obstructed by F5 while sliding into 3rd (contact prior to F5 catching the ball), causing R2's slide to stop about 18 inches short of the base. F5 catches the ball, tags out R1, then fires to F4 who successfully tags out BR attempting to advance to second.

I made no signal on the play on R2 (other then the delayed dead ball signal). After the tag on BR, I called time, and I put R2 on 3rd due to the obstruction call, and called BR out due to the tag.

I'm sure I got it right (although both coaches had to disagree with me, of course). But should I have made any kind of indication about the status of R2 prior to the play on BR?

It is possible that obstruction could have occured, but the runner not be awarded home. Had the plate umpire determined obstruction had occured before the runner had touched third, then the runner could have only been protected up to third base.

If I have both calls, (or the "tag" play and know there was OBS), I'll indicate *something* at the spot of the tag -- "stay there" or "safe on OBS" or something. Then, when the play is over, place teh runners and give the needed explanation.

Left hand point.

"That's obstruction" , but not really loud, unless it's Type A, and your killing it. For Type B, just a conversational tone works. You don't want to kill the action by bellowing this out.

Yeah, the floating fist went out around 20 years ago (so I've been told).

Thanks for the information. Umpire got the call right just wasn't very convincing.

If he called it interference, no, he didn't get it right.

He did in fact yell interference but I let that slide. I like to know as much about the rules and mechanics as it helps with coaching.

Same game had a no catch on third strike. Ball in the dirt. Close/tough call but PU yells "no catch" and catcher stood there waving the ball in PU face all the while PU was pointing at the ground. Catcher finally threw the ball and got the out but I was able to explain to catcher the situation and what the PU was doing so he would know what to do in the future.

"No catch!!!" Might as well just yell, "RUN!!!!" or "TAG HER!!!" Good grief.

mbc,

"No catch!" (or, "That's a catch!", as the case may be) is a proper verbal mechanic in the situation of a 3rd strike where the batter could become a runner if the pitch is not caught if there could be any uncertainty about what the umpire judged.

JM

This mechanic brought to you courtesy of the Doug Eddings Controversy.

Is that a band? ;)