Obstruction

[sprivitor]

Hi Folks.

With R1 on 2nd base, ball is hit to right field, R1 is forced completely out of base path (good 7 feet) because of obstructing F5 and F6, R1 rounds 3rd and on throw from F9, a close play at home has R1 tagged out.

It is clear that R1 would've made home safely had there been no obstruction. However, BU feels that obstruction only protects R1 to the "next" base. Doesn't obstruction protect the runner to the base they would've made had their been no obstruction? And from there, they're advancing at own risk?

Thanks

[Dakota]

Originally posted by sprivitor
Doesn't obstruction protect the runner to the base they would've made in the umpire's judgment had there been no obstruction? And from there, they're advancing at own risk?

Yes, with the proviso I've added.

[TexBlue]

Originally posted by sprivitor
Hi Folks.

With R1 on 2nd base, ball is hit to right field, R1 is forced completely out of base path (good 7 feet) because of obstructing F5 and F6, R1 rounds 3rd and on throw from F9, a close play at home has R1 tagged out.

It is clear that R1 would've made home safely had there been no obstruction. However, BU feels that obstruction only protects R1 to the "next" base. Doesn't obstruction protect the runner to the base they would've made had their been no obstruction? And from there, they're advancing at own risk?

Thanks

Let's just say if you'd been the umpire and in your judgement the runner would have made it home, then you blew the call. Gotta remember, it's all based on the ump's judgement. Your judgement may be different from theirs.

[CecilOne]

Don't confuse awarding the base the runner would have reached (ITUJ) with the guarantee of not being out between the bases where the OBS occurred.

[sprivitor]

Cecilone,

I'm a bit confused by your message. After the game, we discussed this rule. The umpire was unsure that the player was protected going home because the obstruction did occur between 2nd and 3rd. However, he felt the player would have made it home had there been no obstruction between 2nd and 3rd.

So, how would you handle this situation?

[Dakota]

Originally posted by sprivitor
However, he felt the player would have made it home had there been no obstruction between 2nd and 3rd.

So, how would you handle this situation?

If the umpire stated that his judgment was the runner would have made home, but he called her out anyway because he thought the rule only protected the runner to the "next" base, then this is a misinterpretation of the playing rules and may be protested.

[CecilOne]

Originally posted by sprivitor
Cecilone,
I'm a bit confused by your message. After the game, we discussed this rule. The umpire was unsure that the player was protected going home because the obstruction did occur between 2nd and 3rd. However, he felt the player would have made it home had there been no obstruction between 2nd and 3rd.
So, how would you handle this situation?

To add to what I said, there are two aspects of the effect of obstruction.

One is that the runner can not be putout in between the bases where the OBS occurred. That is, if runner was obstructed between 2nd and 3rd, the runner can not be put out between 2nd and 3rd. The runner could be put out between 3rd and home.

The other is that the obstructed runner will be awarded the base the umpire JUDGED the runner would have reached if there was no obstruction. This can get complicated, but in the simple case where the runner is apparently put out in a close play at a base, the runner should be awarded that base because the umpire JUDGED the runner would have reached that base if there was no obstruction.

That is , if a runner is obstructed between 2nd and 3rd, then "tagged out" in a close play at home; the runner shold be awarded home.

The above runner is also guaranteed not being put out between 2nd and 3rd, so if the runner falls down before 3rd and is tagged the runner is not out. The ball is then dead and the umpire awards the runner 3rd base if the umpire JUDGED the runner would have reached that base if there was no obstruction or 2nd if the umpired JUDGED otherwise.

In the above, "a close play" is determined by the runner being out by a margin equal to or less than the delay caused by the obstruction.