Catcher's Obstruction (Interference)

[Warren Willson]

Originally posted by ozzy6900
R2 & R3 with 1-0 on the batter, catcher obstructs the batter's swing. Batter hits the ball down the 1st base line. The PU immediatly signals, points and calls "that's obstruction". The ball rolls into foul territory where it is touched by the pitcher. The catcher is on his knees holding what ends up being a set of broken fingers (so the obstruction is quite obvious). Place the runners and if necessary the batter.

This happened in a 16U game this weekend.

From the call - ie. "Obstruction" not "Interference" - one might be tempted to guess that this was a FED fixture.

Assuming it was OBR and not FED, I'm almost with bluduc but not quite. The ball became FOUL, touched by the pitcher in foul territory down the 1st base line. As such there was no "play" following the interference for the manager to optionally accept. If R2 & R3 were not stealing, only the batter gets to advance on the CI award. Period.

Having said that, what R2 & R3 in their right minds would NOT be moving on this play? Surely U16's would know enough baseball to be advancing on that hit?

Hope this helps.

Cheers.