Obstruction on a Steal
 

Wasn't there so I can only go by the play as it was described.

R1 steals 2nd base. The throw from F2 causes F6 to leap for the ball. Sliding runner makes contact with F6 who then goes to the ground and lands on R1. Obstruction was called.

What would you have to see in this scenario in order to call obstruction? I'm guessing (key word) that simply making contact is not enough in this scenario.

Thanks.

I got nothing on this play.

A different scenario.

Let's add to it. (A fan from the other team is now weighing in)

F6 gets up to go after the ball and collides with the runner who is now up and attempting to go to 3rd.

Anything?

Yes, that's OBS. So is lying on the runner as he's trying to get up.

And, if the OP was FED, it was also OBS if the leap by F6 "denied access" to second base (and that's how it reads to me). Of course, the minimum award in this case would be second, so it might be moot.

Depends ... no one has mentioned whether F6 caught the ball or not.

Well, Spence's "F6 gets up to go after the ball " certainly implies an answer to that.

Sure... it would .... if the OP said that... which it doesn't. :) The part where he added something to the play does. Which is what you were responding to. It is not what I was responding to.

The NCAA video section has this play for all to see. The throw goes high and by the shortstop. He comes down on the runner and obstruction is called due to impeding. A while back, the series showed a runner leading off first and the ball thrown wide. The first baseman ends up lying on top of the runner as the ball gets away. Again, obstruction was the correct call made.

Dontcha love moving target posts?

This is not OBS as F6 is "Attempting to field the ball" so there is nothing.

In NCAA ball it is. The video attests.

Wrong answer, thank you for playing. Here's your Rice-A-Roni.

It's not a wrong answer in OBR and NCAA (who just changed their rule back to basically the OBR rule).

It may or may not be a wrong answer in LL as their interp says if a bad throw draws a fielder into the path it's not obstruction.

It may be in FED.

From the NCAA Coordinators Call 3/1/11:

b. F2 moving a step or two up the line + immediate act of fielding a throw + collision = no obstruction but the base runner is still held accountable for a flagrant or malicious slide

c. F2 chasing an errant throw + collision = obstruction.

In the OP, F6 "leaps" for the ball. My guess is that it was more like play (b) than play (c).