Had the chance to UIC a 12 & Under tournament this past week-end. And still in recovery mode. But saw an umpire call something that I have never seen called, not sure it can even been found in the book but thought I'd put that question to all my friends out in the world wide web. Umpire obstruction ? Umpire protected the runner back to the base because he had contact between second and third. Anybody ever seen it called ?

<i>Had the chance to UIC a 12 & Under tournament this past week-end. And still in recovery mode. But saw an umpire call something that I have never seen called, not sure it can even been found in the book but thought I'd put that question to all my friends out in the world wide web. Umpire obstruction ? Umpire protected the runner back to the base because he had contact between second and third. Anybody ever seen it called ?</i>


Bandit, No such thing. Can have umpire interference on a couple of
situations, but have never heard of umpire obstruction.
From your post sounds as though there was a play and a runner that
was possibily put out, placed back to the base. How did it go over
with the coach?

All's well that ends well.....
 

Actually everything turned out ok. And if the umpire had not offered anything (silence is sometimes golden) the issue would have never even come up. Runner on second, one out. Umpire in "C" position. Ground ball to third. Umpire lets runner pass in front of him and moves towards the inner part of the diamond. Everything good at this point. All of a sudden the runner decides to return to second. No reason but as she turned towards to her left and to the inside of the diamond she brushes the umpire who is making the call at first and falls/trips down. She actually crawls back to second and places her hand on the bag while laughing about what has just happened. Defense has thrown the ball back to second to try and get the fallen runner but she's safe. Here's where it sorta got bad. Umpire did not indicate anything. Defensive coach asks umpire what the call is, umpire says out at first & runner at second safe due to Umpire obstruction At this point the coach say's OK and goes back to the dugout. I and umpire had small conversation after game explaining how and while everything worked out fine and it actually was a mute point...there is no such thing as Umpire Obstruction. Whewwwwwwwwwwww !

Nope. No such critter in any rule book that I know of.

This year's ASA test contained a relevant question (runner collides with umpire before reaching home plate and is tagged out). The answer was that the runner was out, i.e, there is no umpire obstruction, even if the runner would have scored without running into the ump.

The umpire is basically dirt in that situation!

Unfortunately, that is the way too many think of us! :D

Dirt is the best way to describe it!! LOL

Dirt would be an elevation of my status!

Bandit--

Would this have been before or after the clock struck Midnight and you started the drive home?

Still recovering
 

It was still daylight on this one !

It happened to me last year. I was in “B” when batter hit a blooper over F4’s head. I had started inside when I heard the 1B coach yelling “Get back!” to his runner. I turned around just in time to see F9 make a flying leap at the sinking ball. She missed, the ball bounded past, and I turned back to continue inside – and collided with R1 who had just decided to continue running.

She was knocked down, got up, and just beat the throw into 3B. I called time, went back and retrieved her helmet and delivered it to her. She was laughing and thought the whole incident funny. I wasn’t too sure of that, as I headed towards “C,” thankful that I didn’t have to face the Coach had I been forced to call her out at 3B.

WMB

Similar situation last night. Grounder to the outfield, I'm in C, watch the runner from second pass me and head inside, but the runner decided to turn back. Almost ran into me but I didn't some interesting-looking evasion, I'm sure, then got inside. Of course, then she ran back to third, laughing really hard. "That was some move, blue." I just laughed and was thankful we didn't have a collision.

My state uic for ASA is a height-challenged guy who casts a large shadow and he's no longer all that fast - but he always seems to get in position. He's fond of telling a story especially over a few cold ones after a game) where as he moved inside the diamond from B, a runner did something unexpected (unusual in a D1 game) and not only ran into him, but bounced off & hit the deck. Since the ball was miss-played, this runner should have made 3B, as it was, she barely made 2B. He "thanked" the runner for safely making 2B as he really didn't want the stauff that the offensive coach was going to give him over causing her runner to be put out. His moral of the story - watch the ball, but know exactly where the runners are & what they're doing.

I'm going to have to remember this one for the next time I see Luau :)