NFHS - I am looking for the proper method for calling obstruction at home when other runners are still active.

2 outs. R3, R2. Batter hits grounder to F6. Throw comes home and catcher obstructs R3. You have a delayed dead ball. Do you immediately yell 'safe - obstruction' so the catcher knows to go try and throw out the runners still on base?

I can see the catcher starting to pout then coaches come out to argue; when do you call time? I do not want to punish the runners at this point.

It's the same in all the association. When a play is made on the obstructed runner, before she reaches the base you would have awarded her, it's "Dead Ball! I have obstruction on the catcher, runner is safe!"

The only situation in which this is not a immediate dead ball, the rules say you don't enforce a rule if it benefits the offending team. So, if a trailing runner is right behind the obstructed runner, a play is made on the obstructed player and the ball gets away to the fence, you might not call dead ball if the trailing runner is clearly going to score also. If you called dead ball, the trailing runner would have to go back to 3rd, preventing the score.

I don't know, just thought of that situation. What does every one else think?

I hope that's right, 'cause you just explained it very well!

What's the citing for the 'don't benefit the offending team' rule?

Thanks.

Actually Texblue,

You don't call TIME unless the obstructed runner is PUT OUT before reaching her protected base. So in your situation, you would NOT call time when the ball got away from F2 since the runner was safe at home.

Now if the runner was put out at home, you would call time at that moment and award the runner home. The rule for placing other runners in this case is: any runner who has advanced more than halfway to the next base is awarded that base; any runner who has not advanced more than half way is sent back to the previous base.


SamC

The rule that Texblue was refering to is 10.1.L to wit: <i><b><ul>The umpire will not penalize a team for any infraction of a rule when imposing the penalty would be an advantage for the offending team.</ul></b></i>

SamC

Thank you.
This makes sense to call the play dead, and advance/decline runners as needed. It avoids any hoopla.

As already noted, the ball is not declared dead until the OBSTRUCTED RUNNER is put out or it is obvious that all action on this particular play is complete

Quote:

The only situation in which this is not a immediate dead ball, the rules say you don't enforce a rule if it benefits the offending team. So, if a trailing runner is right behind the obstructed runner, a play is made on the obstructed player and the ball gets away to the fence, you might not call dead ball if the trailing runner is clearly going to score also. If you called dead ball, the trailing runner would have to go back to 3rd, preventing the score. I don't know, just thought of that situation. What does every one else think?

The ball is ALWAYS dead when the obstructed runner is put out. If there are other active runners at the time the ball is killed, they should be placed on the base to which they are closest including scoring a runner which was more than halfway home at the time the tag on the obstructed runner was applied.

I believe that if an obstructed runner is put out, all other runners are put on the last bag they had when the put out occurred, not the closest bag.

” I believe that if an obstructed runner is put out, all other runners are put on the last bag they had when the put out occurred, not the closest bag.”

Not true, as both Mike and Sam have stated above. Both ASA and NFHS obstruction penalties state that “other runners” will be placed at bases they would have reached in the umpire’s judgment had there not been obstruction.

Sam called the “half-way thing” a Rule, but it is actually a “rule-of-thumb” statement in the ASA POE on Obstruction. Remember that when an obstructed runner is put out, you immediately kill play with a dead ball call. At that point, if another runner were one step from home, would you send her back to 3B? Conversely, if she were only 10’ past 3B when you stopped play, would you send her home?

Your judgment, but basic rule-of-thumb is to send them to the closest base.

WMB

The one thing to remember about obstruction is that it is a violation by the defense.

If a defensive coach is arguing that killing the play denies a chance to get other outs, remind him that his team violated, why should he potentially profit from that?

If you have any doubt about where to place runners or award bases after an obstruction call, give the benefit to the offensive team. The halfway between bases guideline is good, but if in doubt, award the advance base.

WMB has it. Don't confuse this with the effects of an interference call.