Obstruction
 

The National Federation has taken out the extended left arm/closed fist signal from the umpire mechanics. Here in Iowa we recently received our first memo from our high school state association saying we would be ignoring that and still use the signal to indicate we have a delayed dead ball and that we've seen obstruction. My general feeling is OK with that as the good coaches are familiar with that signal, look for it in obstruction situations, and
would probably freak out if we adopted the NF edict and signal nothing. My question for the forum is why did the NF want that signal removed? I'm having a hard time thinking of a scenario where using that signal to communicate obstruction to the players, coaches, and my partner would be a bad mechanic that somehow gets us in some other jackpot.

The proper 'communication' of the obstruction violation is the umpire pointing at the offense and calling: "That's obstruction!" when it happens. The ball is live (delayed dead, if you must) unless and until the umpire calls "Time."

I suspect that FED got rid of the left-turn signal after years of reading mail from umpires telling them that it was a ridiculous and wholly unnecessary mechanic.

I'm with you dash ripock 100%...that's the way I've always done it too.
Verbally said that's obstruction...but I have left turned signaled it and as I was mentored 35 years ago...held that out the whole play until the ball was dead and then I awarded bases accordingly. Have always done the same mechanic sequence on Batter interference with the catcher. I'd say I differ somewhat on it being "wholly unecessary"...I have the simple R1 running into a brain dead 2B on a gapper to the fence I perhaps mistakenly believe it is important that I hold out my left arm...nobody will have heard me say "that's obstruction" way
out there in the B position...it let's the coaches know, players, my partner that "Hey, I got some contact here and we'll see what happens with this runner after we get to a dead ball" That arm out stops me from being hollered at by the offense AND it stops the defense from freaking after the play that I only gave R1 a base because the offense went nuts cuz I DIDN'T signal visually I got obstruction. I'm just not seeing the "wholly unecessary" position...there had to be something else behind the BF's thinking on this change. No big deal either way...I just find it curious and good baseball umpire talk.

I never have used the 'dead ball signal', and I certainly never would have kept my left arm out for an entire play.

My mechanic is to display the signal for a second or two and then drop it. Enough time for people to look at you and see the signal.
The 'half a propellor'* imitation is not necessary.


*My first obstruction, guess what I looked like? As told to me by a veteran.

The next time I use that signal...oh, wait, I never will.

Minnesota stuck w/ the "stick the arm out" mechanic.

Too much change for a year I guess.

I will never use that mechanic. Don't care how it affects my post season FED status either.

What "dead ball signal" are you referring to?

If that grinds your gears, you are an Internet umpire. I'd rather see that than some crazy strike/punch out combo. Why umps are bothered with that is beyond me.

Not sure what the objection is/was to using the DDB signal, its simple, informative, and IMO useful when communicating with your partner.

I've heard that player/coaches have mistaken the left arm/fist (delayed dead ball mechanic) with a right arm/fist (out mechanic). Coach thinks the umpire is calling a runner out instead of umpire protecting that runner.

Agreed. Running around for 10 seconds with your arm out is absurd. Hate it when partners do that.

The entire "delayed dead ball" thing with FED is stupid in the first place. The ball is either alive or dead. Any number of things (Including OBS) can happen while the ball is alive, you just kill it when the play ends.

I think I used the "fist" mechanic one time my first season and felt like a buffoon, so I swore it off then.

So is pointing at the obstruction and saying loud enough for your partner to hear, "That's obstruction."

And you don't look stupid doing it.

The DDB signal has the entire left arm parallel to the ground. I can't even begin to imagine how that is supposed to confuse players and coaches with the standard out mechanic.

The DDB signal is still used in softball. I had a situation earlier this season where, as PU, I saw R2 get obstructed by F5 on a two-out fly ball down the leftfield line. I put out my left hand (while holding my mask) to make the DDB Obstruction call. R2 saw it, and thought I was signalling foul, so she held up and started to go back to second base. The ball was fair, her base coach yelled for her to go home, and she got confused. She ended up going back to third base safely. I didn't award her home, which she might've attained if she would have continued.