Correct call for missed base?

[DaveASA/FED]

As my user name suggests I am a softball guy. I am posting this for a coworker who had a question from a little league game.

Situation:
Batter hits ball deep to outfield, looks like an easy triple. As runner heads to 2nd, 2nd baseman is straddling the bag (ball is still at fence) and runner tries to hit corner but misses base. 3rd base coach sees he missed the base and puts up the old stop sign to send the runner back to second. Runner is slowing down (presummingly to return back to 2nd) when BU calls "Dead ball runner is out for missing 2nd base." Ball is not at second yet, just hit cut off in outfield. Now is this the correct call?

In ASA the runner is allowed to complete his running prior to any calls for a missed base. Also a missed base is an appeal play where the defense has to ask for a call. I agree if the ball was an second it could be a live ball appeal, but it would still not call for the "dead ball" call. I admit ASA and little league are different and I don't know little league that is why I am asking you all. Thanks in advance.

[JEL]

I have obstruction on F4, delayed dead ball, runner would be entitled to 2nd, because 1st was the last legally touched base. But I would award, (or allow if reached) 3rd on obstruction also, (umpire judgment). A missed base is an appeal play everywhere as far as I am aware. I believe BU got that one wrong.

[Mike Follett]

The umpire is not to call a runner out for missing a base(or to call DEAD BALL for that matter), if there is no appeal by the defense. This is the same for LL and ASA.
He pretty much screwed this one up, all the way around. The offensive manager certainly could/should have protested the call, as it was not a judgement call.
I agree, too, that I would have probably awarded the BR 3rd base, based on your description of the events, as I'd have ruled obstruction on the 2nd baseman, as well.

[Bfair]

With the batted ball appearing to likely end with a triple, it seems obvious that R1 was not being played upon at time of his obstruction. It would also seem for that reason that the coach telling the runner to return to touch 2B would be due to his missing the base, and not due to coach judging that R1 could not safely acquire 3B.

The official should have called the obstruction and allowed play to continue.
At the end of play, he should award R1 any advance base he may have judged him to be deprived of due to the impact of the obstruction. There is, however, no mandatory award to R1 as a result of the obstruction. The official could also award BR additional bases if he felt BR was resultantly held from acquiring bases he could have safely obtained absent of the obstruction. IOW, BR could not advance to a base occupied by R1, but R1 would have been beyond that base had the obstruction not occurred.

If R1 continued advance beyond 2B, the official should not uphold an appeal on R1's miss of 2B since it was a direct result of the obstructive action.

The official blew the call in several ways..........
First, he should have allowed play to continue.
Second, the runner should not have been declared out for missing 2B.
And finally, even if the official felt the runner should have touched the base, the miss should have required an appeal, not a declaration by the official absent of defensive appeal.


Freix

[JEL]

Bfair,..There is, however, no mandatory award to R1 as a result of the obstruction.
If obstruction occured at 2nd, R1 would be awarded 2nd because 1st was the last legally touched base. This may come into play if R1 was tagged out on his return to 2nd. However, in this situation, without having seen it, I believe all would award 3rd, thereby using the "automatic" award of 2nd. The award of 3rd, and possibly home, would fall into that umpires judgement area. (I think, at least thats how I would have called it)
Dave, BTW I am softball also, as well as baseball, you ought to give baseball a shot, it is as fun as fastpitch, to me anyway. You didn't say in post what was reaction from coaches, I'm sure there was some. Just curious about that.

[Jim Porter]

JEL, there are two types of obstruction under the Official Baseball Rules. One occurs when a play is being made on the runner at the time he is obstructed, and the award is a minimum of one base. That was not the case here since the ball was still in the outfield at the time of the obstruction, so a play was not being made on the runner.

So, instead, we use the second type of obstruction which occurs when a play is not being made on the runner at the time of the obstruction. There is no mandatory or minimum award. It is entirely up to the umpire's judgment in deciding what to award the runner, if anything, or where to protect him, if anywhere.

So, your statement that, "If obstruction occured at 2nd, R1 would be awarded 2nd because 1st was the last legally touched base," is simply wrong-headed. R1 should be awarded or protected, or not, to wherever the umpire sees fit.

[JEL]

Jim, Upon further review, I stand corrected. Thats the neat thing about this forum. One other thought, If batter runner was forced to return to first by R1's return to 2nd, can un-obstructed BR (or multiple runners) be awarded bases on this call, via umpires judgement?

[Bfair]

Originally posted by JEL

If batter runner was forced to return to first by R1's return to 2nd, can un-obstructed BR (or multiple runners) be awarded bases on this call, via umpires judgement?

Absolutely.......
It is umpire judgment to correct and nullify the impact of the obstruction as it relates to all runners. Generally speaking, although the PU may have the best position to judge the impact of the obstruction, it's best for the crew to conference to discuss such runner placements before making awards.


Freix