Going Back & Forth, Obstruction

[greymule]

I have been away from the board for a while, busy with some sad things.

The OBS rule has been the last straw for me. I've seen too many plays that technically qualify as OBS but that I simply can't bring myself to call. Runner coming home is 10 feet from the plate when the catcher moves in front of the plate to catch the throw. Out. Coaches scream OBS and cite the new rule. Because for my entire life that play has been an out, I haven't called OBS, but they're right. Similar plays at 3B when F5 is standing in front of 3B as he catches the throw and the runner is approaching. Never was OBS, but the runner did slow down, though he would have been out anyway.

They've eliminated the tag play at home in senior softball. Maybe it's time at the other levels.

I stopped doing Fed a few years ago when I realized that I should not umpire under a code if I cannot enforce all the rules. (And Fed had a bunch I couldn't swallow: idiotic rules on OBS, illegal pitches, sliding, "tobacco-like substances," and many more.) I'm leaning toward stopping ASA, too, on the same principle.

Besides, I'm not really enjoying it any more.