Obstruction: Mets vs. Pirates
 

Obstruction call on Reyes proves costly for Mets | mets.com: News

Any thoughts? Please withhold your opinion until you see the arial view.

From the ground, it appears that Tabata had to hitch his stride in order to avoid contact with Reyes. Since Layne was not in the air, he would have only had his backdoor view and thus, his call was made tougher. His delay was unfortunate, it's almost as if he said, "What the heck was that?" and then made his call. From the air, it was pretty obvious, even to this Cubs fan (despise the Mets) that Tabata got away with one.

I don't know. It doesn't take much for OBS to be OBS - and it appears to me that the runner slows and turns a bit to avoid Reyes... and then is only barely thrown out. Not sure I'd have called it, but I don't think it was an egregious error on the umpire's part. He appears to have grounds for the call.

His delayed call is what makes this tough. Tabata hesitated going around two while glancing at the fielder, making this an even tougher call. Did that hitch cause Tabata to be thrown out, not likely but apparently Layne thought it did.

I like the call. F6 has no business being there, right in the path of the runner rounding 2B.

I agree.

After being "thrown out" the runner immediately started heading for the dugout. That tells me that HE did not feel he was obstructed.
I also agree with 2 previous posters. F6 standing where he did only invites trouble.

That's the proper call, with the proper timing.

Plus, you have to judge how much OBS it was, and did it effect the outcome. With a slight variance in the runners step, and the close play at third, you always lead toward the runner.

Use this video for training, all you instructors out there. It's a great example of type b OBS, and how it's handled.

I agree. It's not something that registers in a split second. Layne had to take in all that he saw and ruled within a reasonable timeframe.

I don't do much (if any) OBR, I work mostly FED. Do you take into account at all if there is a play being made on him?

I.E. F8 picks up the ball and just lobs it into F6, you keep your hand down and avoid the "it was OBS, but all he gets is 3B," or do you point it out and hope we all just move on?

I thought the umpire did well. There is no reason to be too quick. I think you need to process what you see and then make a call. Being in too much of a hurry seems to always cause problems.

OBR (and NCAA) has two types of OBS. Type A (or 1) is on a player being immediately played upon (or before reaching 1B). Type B (or 2) is on a player not being played upon.

This situation is Type B. You call it, then fix it when the play is over. If he had reached 3B safely, you simply let it go.

Fed is different. ALL OBS is similar to Type B in OBR.

You have to point it out when it happens (or when it registers with you).

What if in your play R3 sees the lob to F6 and keeps running for home and is out on a close play? Are you *now* going to try to tell everyone there was OBS?

Who cares what the runner thinks. I've had guys get hit-by-pitch before and stay there to hit...should I not award them 1B, because they didn't think they were hit? In all reality, the runner may truly not know what obstruction is or how to interpret it.

On that note, maybe we do agree, but I'm interpreting your post to say that since the runner didn't argue, then it must not be OBS.

The tricky thing w/ FED is that if you call it, you're always going to give him another base...unless he reaches the base he was trying to reach.

You treat it like Type B, but award it like Type A, so there's a bit more judgment involved there. In your situation above, go ahead and call it, in other situations, I wouldn't call it...but to discuss those, would hijack the thread.