Obstruction or Out?

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by kennyc1

I'm a coach, not a ref. I want this to be obstruction, I never like to see defenders causing a collision.

That said, I thought the ruling is no obstruction if the defender is pulled into the runner's base path by the throw.

Fielder must have possession of the ball in order to legally block the runner's path otherwise it's Obstruction. To my knowledge only Baseball allows you to be in the act of receiving the ball while blocking the path of the runner.

[SCalScoreKeeper]

The initial call was out on the attempted steal. After a conference was overturned to safe by reason of obstruction. Resulted in the defensive team's head coach being ejected along with multiple fans.

[Tru_in_Blu]

I am in the camp that this was OBS. Although it was an athletic play by F6, still OBS.

I had to watch a few times to actually determine that there was a base umpire. I'll have to take as face value that his original call was an out as I couldn't see or hear if there was an OBS call/signal.

Perhaps the umpire was less experienced or had a bad angle.

Maybe submit it to KR and he'll include it in one of the upcoming "Plays and Clarifications".

[Insane Blue]

Originally Posted by Tru_in_Blu

I am in the camp that this was OBS. Although it was an athletic play by F6, still OBS.

I had to watch a few times to actually determine that there was a base umpire. I'll have to take as face value that his original call was an out as I couldn't see or hear if there was an OBS call/signal.

Perhaps the umpire was less experienced or had a bad angle.

Maybe submit it to KR and he'll include it in one of the upcoming "Plays and Clarifications".

Ted he is both umpires are CIF Southern Section Finalist umpires. Yes the original call was out. The Great Oak coach came out to appeal the call both umpires got together and the final call was obstruction.

As for finding the umpire it's all about camera angle on this one.

[teebob21]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

The Great Oak coach came out to appeal the call both umpires got together and the final call was obstruction.

So...in real time, if the call on the field is an out, I can support an out. The ball and the runner arrived "at the same time" and the runner never made it to the bag. I've made this call as an out on the field. Right or wrong, I've stood by it.

With the benefit of video, this is probably OBS all day. The throw is up the basepath, and the fielder probably hindered the runner before the ball arrived.

I have more to say about coaches should not talk umpires into overturning a judgment call....but I'll withhold that. If U1 called the out, but had doubt on OBS, he should wave the coach off and go to his partner. Maybe that's just me...

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by Insane Blue

As for finding the umpire it's all about camera angle on this one.

Totally agree. Initially I was wondering who was "conferencing" but the description and the video finally clarified that for me.

[chapmaja]

This is a very tight call. The key is what caused the runner to slide when she did. Was she attempting to avoid the SS in her path or was she sliding to avoid to the base. That become a key distinction because, when the contact is actually made between the runner and the SS, the ball is in the glove of the SS.

Unfortunately, this is one of those plays that seeing the entire play would help. I would say, if we used replay like football does, I do not see indisputable video evidence to change the call.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by chapmaja

Unfortunately, this is one of those plays that seeing the entire play would help.

I think we pretty much saw "the entire play". If you're looking for 14 different angles, too bad, so sad.