Coach impedes his runner - out

[SanDiegoSteve]

Originally Posted by RPatrino

That news story had to be the most convoluted mess of facts I have ever read. Clearly they have obstruction and interference confused. This is a YHTBT situation for sure, but based on the description of the play a call of coach assistance might be justified. The coach didn't assist, he actually hindered.

I don't see how it could have been called interference based on what I read, but if the runner just ran into the coach, got up on his own, and then advanced without assistance to HP, I don't have interference. If the umpire called it obstruction, I would recommend remedial umpire training for him. Just based on what I read, 7.09(h) was not violated.

"Huebner was focused on the plate. Gesell, well out of the coaches' box, was locked in on the other two runners on base and stepped into Huebner's path. Huebner bowled over Gesell and fell to the Whataburger Field turf. Huebner got up and scrambled home with the apparent tying run as the relay throw went past the catcher.

But, after an umpire's conference, and at the urging of Yeager, who kept pumping his right fist to signify an out, Huebner was ruled out on obstruction."

It sounds like a train wreck, with the runner getting up on his own volition and advancing to HP. It also seems as though the umpire was pressured by this Yeager person into changing his call.