The Official Forum - Splitting the Difference

The Official Forum (https://forum.officiating.com/)

- Baseball (https://forum.officiating.com/baseball/)

- - Splitting the Difference (https://forum.officiating.com/baseball/91776-splitting-difference.html)

Splitting the Difference

I witnessed this play and then talked to one of the coaches after the game. FED game with R2 & R3 and one out. B1 misses on a squeeze attempt and R3 is in a rundown between third and home while R2 heads to third. While attempting to return to third, R3 runs into F5 who is standing in the baseline without the ball. No call or delayed dead ball signal is made. R3 is tagged before reaching third and R2 is tagged as he begins to return to second. BU looks at PU and both look confused. After a few seconds, BU signals that both runners are out. After much discussion, B3 is placed back on third and
B2 is called out.

After the game I spoke to one of the coaches and he said that PU told him an inning later that he had to bail out his partner and "give one to each team."

Did they get this right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by umpire99 (Post 846388)

No......

Joel

Quote:

FED Rule 8 Section 3 Art.2
When a runner is obstructed while advancing or returning to a base, the umpire shall award the obstructed runner and each other runner affected by the obstruction the bases they would have reached, in his opinion, had there been no obstruction. . If the runner achieves the base he was attempting to acquire, then the obstruction is ignored. The obstructed runner is awarded a minimum of of one base beyond his position when the obstruction occurred. ..... When obstruction occurs, the umpire gives the delayed dead ball signal and calls "obstruction". If an award is to be made, the ball becomes dead when time is taken to make the award.

Did they get it right ??
NO

Quote:

Originally Posted by umpire99 (Post 846388)

... he said that PU told him an inning later that he had to bail out his partner and "give one to each team."

This saddens me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by umpire99 (Post 846388)

This is one place where I can see an advantage to OBR on obstruction.

For OBR: That's obstruction! TIME! Award R3 home and R2 third.

But what ugliness to have to allow the play to continue.

Rita

FED wouldn't have been much different. With R2 standing on 3B at the time of OBS, probably action would have stopped with the OBS call.