Dropped third strike

[Bfair]

Under the situation you cite with the pitcher's back to the BR going to 1B, I'm very apt to consider the action of the runner one where the BR ran into the pitcher in an attempt to bait an obstruction call. Obstruction is a judgment call, and the BR had a wide open field in which to run.

It sounds like a bait job to me, and if it wasn't, it still could have easily be sold as one. Getting an obstruction call from me on this play isn't going to happen unless F1 does something obvious and intentional to obstruct BR. My judgment on this play (and I don't have to see the play) is that the BR tried an unsuccessful baiting of obstruction.


Freix