Obstruction or just baseball?

[Welpe]

In Fed, I'd have obstruction for both. A fielder must have possession of the ball in order to block the base.

In OBR, I'd have nothing for either play.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Welpe

In Fed, I'd have obstruction for both. A fielder must have possession of the ball in order to block the base.

In OBR, I'd have nothing for either play.

Agreed.

[rbmartin]

Since the runner scored eventually, I'd probably let this play go under any rule set. If it was an NFHS game, and he was eventually tagged out in a scenario decribed in situation 2, I'd have obstruction. As Welpe pointed out, you MUST have the ball if you're in the runners way.

By no means under any rule set do you reward the defense for screwing up the play (except for a malicious contact situation).

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by rbmartin

Since the runner scored eventually, I'd probably let this play go under any rule set. If it was an NFHS game, and he was eventually tagged out in a scenario decribed in situation 2, I'd have obstruction. As Welpe pointed out, you MUST have the ball if you're in the runners way.

By no means under any rule set do you reward the defense for screwing up the play (except for a malicious contact situation).

For the record, you have obstruction when you have obstruction... you don't wait to see what happens... in a case like THIS play, the OBS is nearly instantaneously followed by a safe call (assuming he scored anyway), but for forms sake (and some TWP I don't want to get into here), call it anyway and then when they score, you don't have to DO anything with it.

[rbmartin]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

....but for forms sake ..... call it anyway and then when they score, you don't have to DO anything with it.

Probably good advice...thanks.

[David B]

Thanks for the perspective. It was NFHS game.

In re-reading my original post I didn't put in play 1 that F2 caught the ball just as the runner began his slide it was bang bang so we did not rule obstruction. Probably should have.

I think the coach wanted the ejection more than anything.

We did rule obstruction on the 2nd play.

Thanks for the help

David

[SanDiegoSteve]

Oh FED rules...good to know.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by David B

Thanks for the perspective. It was NFHS game.

In re-reading my original post I didn't put in play 1 that F2 caught the ball just as the runner began his slide it was bang bang so we did not rule obstruction. Probably should have.
David

Perhaps. It's much more HTBT at this point and that's why they pay us the big bucks.

[David B]

Originally Posted by Welpe

Perhaps. It's much more HTBT at this point and that's why they pay us the big bucks.

You know the best thing is that when you have a few plays like this and have some time to think it through, it really prepares you for the next time its going to happen.

We all know that we can call game after game and never have some of these type of plays and then when it happens you just have to officiate.

Same with plays like batters obstruction or the interference at 2nd base by R1 etc.,

Thanks
David

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by David B

In re-reading my original post I didn't put in play 1 that F2 caught the ball just as the runner began his slide it was bang bang so we did not rule obstruction. Probably should have.

I think the coach wanted the ejection more than anything.

Again, it's hard to be sure (even harder with your additional info), but FED has been pretty adamant about calling OBS when F2 is set up in the baseline without the ball. For example (8.3.2 C):

RULING: Obstruction. F2 cannot be in the base
path without the ball in his possession, nor can he be in the base path waiting for
a ball to arrive without giving the runner some access to home plate

As for ejection: unless the slide itself was illegal, sliding into a fielder is not malicious contact, regardless of the result.

[jicecone]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Again, it's hard to be sure (even harder with your additional info), but FED has been pretty adamant about calling OBS when F2 is set up in the baseline without the ball. For example (8.3.2 C):

RULING: Obstruction. F2 cannot be in the base
path without the ball in his possession, nor can he be in the base path waiting for
a ball to arrive without giving the runner some access to home plate

As for ejection: unless the slide itself was illegal, sliding into a fielder is not malicious contact, regardless of the result.

And the cool part about all this is that it happens in front of you in 1-2 seconds, when the catcher receives the ball, where exactly is he standing, does he deny access to the plate, how does the runner react, is it malicious and finally is the runner safe or out. Now don't mess up, get the call right or your not a good umpire.

You got to love this job we do.