Obstruction Protection

[Spence]

R1 R2.
Ball hit to the outfield.
R1 goes to third and rounds third.
R1 touches 2nd starts to head towards 3B but is obstructed by the SS. R2 keeps on going. However, he sees that his teammate has stopped at third base. Runner then tries to retreat to 2nd base but it as tagged diving back in.

I know obstruction is used to protect the runner to the next base they would have gotten to. However, if it ends up that base is not available is the runner still protected and therefore put back on second base?

[mbyron]

I think you mean "R1 keeps going."

You don't specify the rule set. In FED, you must award at least 1 base beyond the last legally touched, which would require that R1 get 3B and thus score R2.

For OBR, the penalty for type B OBS is to award bases so as to nullify the obstruction. The obstruction did not prevent R1 from returning to 2B, which he had to do as a result of R2's choice to remain at 3B. Indeed, the hindrance might have helped R1. I would therefore not make an award in this case: R1's out stands.

[Spence]

Originally Posted by mbyron

I think you mean "R1 keeps going."

You don't specify the rule set. In FED, you must award at least 1 base beyond the last legally touched, which would require that R1 get 3B and thus score R3.

For OBR, the penalty for type B OBS is to award bases so as to nullify the obstruction. The obstruction did not prevent R1 from returning to 2B, which he had to do as a result of R2's choice to remain at 3B. Indeed, the hindrance might have helped R1. I would therefore not make an award in this case: R1's out stands.

Let me try again.

FED

Runner on 2nd base stops at third base.
Runner on 1st is the one that is obstructed after rounding 2nd and is ultimately thrown out going back to 2nd base. 3rd base was occupied which is why R1 ended up trying to get back to 2nd but was tagged out.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Spence

Let me try again.

FED

Runner on 2nd base stops at third base.
Runner on 1st is the one that is obstructed after rounding 2nd and is ultimately thrown out going back to 2nd base. 3rd base was occupied which is why R1 ended up trying to get back to 2nd but was tagged out.

That's what I understood. My FED response is correct for this case. F1 gets 3B, forcing you to score R2.

[Spence]

I'm told I left out one fact.

R1 rounded 2nd, was obstructed, went to 3B and rounded it and THEN saw R2 coming back to the bag. R1 then tried to get back to 2B.

Does that change anything in FED?

[DG]

Originally Posted by Spence

I'm told I left out one fact.

R1 rounded 2nd, was obstructed, went to 3B and rounded it and THEN saw R2 coming back to the bag. R1 then tried to get back to 2B.

Does that change anything in FED?

I believe it does.

3b coach must be asleep.

[RPatrino]

Originally Posted by Spence

I'm told I left out one fact.

R1 rounded 2nd, was obstructed, went to 3B and rounded it and THEN saw R2 coming back to the bag. R1 then tried to get back to 2B.

Does that change anything in FED?

So, R1 went all the way to third, went past third, and then for some reason decided he needed to go all the way back to second (probably because he saw R2 coming back to 3rd?) . While on his journey to 3rd, he was obstructed between 2nd and 3rd (you made a verbal, 'that's obstruction' call). Anything that happens after this point is irrelevant to the obstruction question (in FED). R1, after playing action is over, will be awarded 3rd, R2 (who I assume was originally at 2nd), gets home.

Now in OBR, unless R1 was obstructed on his return to 2nd, I would ignore the obstruction that occurred on his advance to third and the out would stand.

If, by some happy coincidence, the words 'that's obstruction' never left your lips, you are lucky my friend.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by mbyron

That's what I understood. My FED response is correct for this case. F1 gets 3B, forcing you to score R2.

Nope, you don't force a runner that hasn't been obstructed. And I hope you mean R1.

[Spence]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

Nope, you don't force a runner that hasn't been obstructed. And I hope you mean R1.

So am I understanding you correctly that you'd have runners on 2nd and 3rd ?