Delayed Dead Ball play

[Al Dugan]

Just so everyone is on same page, the situation in question was under Fed rules.

Al

[Rich Ives]

Here's my plan. Anytime a fair ball is hit I'm going to lie down over my base, making it impossible to touch it. The runners will either have to stop before the base knowing they will be called out for not touching and thus then be tagged out, or they can go past the base and be called out on appeal for failure to touch. In either case I can beat the obstruction rule because the runner still has to touch - but can't.

Or am I getting this wrong? I guess it depends on who I ask.

[jmkupka]

Runners must touch the bases. End of story. Umpires will then award the base the runner would have reached had you not layed on the base/blocked the base/bumped the runner away from the base/whatever.

Runners must touch the bases. Else they are in jeopardy of being called out on appeal.

They have to trust that the umpire will make them whole with the base award.

Eject the fielder laying on the base for USC, after the play is over.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Runners must touch the bases. End of story. Umpires will then award the base the runner would have reached had you not layed on the base/blocked the base/bumped the runner away from the base/whatever.

Runners must touch the bases. Else they are in jeopardy of being called out on appeal.

They have to trust that the umpire will make them whole with the base award.

Nope.

[Benchcoach]

FYI:

This scenario is addressed in #41 of the Rule Myths page of the umpire bible.com. The web site relies upon OBR for its conclusion.

[Benchcoach]

NFHS 2016 Rules Interpretations

SITUATION 19: R1 is attempting to score from third base and is obstructed by the catcher who tags him on the play. After the play is over, the home plate umpire declares “Time” and awards the runner home. R1 does not touch home plate. The next batter enters the batter’s box and the plate umpire announces “Play.” The pitcher next requests “Time” and appeals the runner not touching home plate. RULING: This is a legal appeal. The runner will be declared out and the run will no longer count. All bases must be touched, even on an award. A dead-ball appeal may be made before the next legal or illegal pitch. (8-2-1, 8-2-5 Penalty).

Source NFHS web site

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by Benchcoach

FYI:

This scenario is addressed in #41 of the Rule Myths page of the umpire bible.com. The web site relies upon OBR for its conclusion.

That myth has the award due to obstruction or overthrow. The missed base was not due to obstruction. FED has recently ruled different than NCAA/OBR in the 2016 interps and a video on NFHS Arbiter website. The BRD is now wrong in recommending we rule in FED as we do in NCAA/OBR but it is still correct that in those codes the umpire can consider the base touched if it was due to the obstruction.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by umpjim

That myth has the award due to obstruction or overthrow. The missed base was not due to obstruction. FED has recently ruled different than NCAA/OBR in the 2016 interps and a video on NFHS Arbiter website. The BRD is now wrong in recommending we rule in FED as we do in NCAA/OBR but it is still correct that in those codes the umpire can consider the base touched if it was due to the obstruction.

The interpretation does NOT say that. It is silent on whether a base needs to be touched when the cause of the miss is obstruction. It has a missed base AFTER obstruction.

[umpjim]

Originally Posted by Matt

The interpretation does NOT say that. It is silent on whether a base needs to be touched when the cause of the miss is obstruction. It has a missed base AFTER obstruction.

I would agree with you on the interp. But the interp and this quote from a Baserunning video on the Arbiter NFHS website make me reluctantly decide that FED does call it different than NCAA/OBR.
"The batter hit a ball off the pitcher's leg and it is deflected into left field. The lead runner is attempting to score, but is obstructed by the third baseman. As a result of the obstruction, the runner misses third base. This is a delayed dead ball and the play proceeds. If the umpire feels that the runner would have scored, he will score the run. However, the obstruction does not allow a runner to miss a base.
In this scenario, the runner will be called out if the defense appeals he missed third base."

The scenario addressed is an actual HS game video where the runner missed 3B due to obstruction and actually scored so no call was needed in that game.