Questioning Catcher Obstruction. \\
 

Questioning Catcher Obstruction. USA Softball 8-1-D, #3 and #4
Have you seen #3 occur?
#4 – “(Fast Pitch) On a swing or attempted bunt, the catcher or any other fielder prevents the batter from hitting the ball, touches the batter or their bat with a runner on third base trying to score on a squeeze play or a steal”

Why is squeeze play in #4 for Fast Pitch only? What about Slow Pitch with stealing?
In #4, does “touches the batter” require hindrance/impedance?

How do you distinguish between catcher obstruction and batter interference with a play at home plate?

Doesnt modified slow pitch require runners to stay on base till the ball crosses the plate? Would make catcher OBS for the purposes of getting a stealing runner rather impossible

8.4.A
A. (Fast/Modified Pitch) When the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand on the delivery.

I don't think there is a category for "modified slow pitch". There's Fast, Modified, Slow (w/ or w/o stealing).

So for the first 2 categories, runners are allowed to leave their base once the pitcher releases the ball. These could result in a squeeze play.

Since bunting (or chopping) is not allowed in slow pitch, I'm not sure we could have a traditional squeeze play. Perhaps a delayed steal of home in games that allow stealing.

None of our slow pitch leagues allow stealing, so I can't offer any more than that.

To the original question, I've seen it once in a Latin League game. Very early in my umpiring time and didn't know what to do. I called the pitch a ball. In retrospect, I wondered if that was intentional to determine my experience level.

Hmm i thought modified was just slowpitch with stealing. Modifed apparently is closer to what you get in slowpitch leagues with the STUPID MATS!! that wont enforce the arch rules.

This is the rule for USA slow pitch with stealing?

STEALING: The act of a runner attempting to advance during a pitch:
A. (Men's Adult and Women's Slow Pitch with stealing, Men's 21U and Junior
Olympic Boys 18U Slow Pitch) Runners can advance once the pitched ball reaches
the front edge of home plate.

Modified is a variant of Fast Pitch, not Slow Pitch. It has different pitching restrictions, Section 6 B.

Slow Pitch With Stealing is just that, Slow Pitch with stealing allowed like it is in Fast Pitch or Modified Pitch.

Ditto.

I guess I put too much in the OP.
My question was about the structure and editing of the rule.
Why wouldn't the #4 occurrence be a violation in Slow Pitch, especially in cases when stealing is allowed. Was it written before stealing was considered for SP rules?

#4 – “(Fast Pitch) On a swing or attempted bunt, the catcher or any other fielder prevents the batter from hitting the ball, touches the batter or their bat with a runner on third base trying to score on a squeeze play or a steal”

they cant leave the base till the ball crosses the plate in slow pitch with stealing. modified they can leave on release like fastpitch

Not a solution, just interesting:

Edmundo Sosa was at the plate with the bases loaded when he checked his swing on a pitch that was outside the strike zone and called a ball. He quickly motioned to the home plate umpire that his bat hit Carlos Narvaez's glove. The call was immediately challenged and after a bit of a delay while replay officials looked it over, the ruling was made that it was in fact catcher's interference and the winning run crossed the plate.

It was the bottom of the 10th, so game over.