JV tourney championship game. 1 man crew. Me..R1 on 2B. Base hit to RF. Runner on 2B comes around 3RD Full steam ahead for home . Catcher sets up blocking home but runner is still a good 15 feet up the line. Catcher now has ball I glance runner still full steam ahead 7 or so feet from home. Collison I call runner out. Coach wants OBS-says catcher blocked home but in my judgement the progress of the runner was not impeded. She did not slow up, change direction or anything other than full steam ahead. Did I kick the call or was it a HTBT ? Or am I totally missing this one ? Feedback please.

Sounds like no obstruction to me, based on

"She did not slow up, change direction or anything other than full steam ahead."

Must have looked that way to you, too - based on

"Coach wants OBS-says catcher blocked home but in my judgement the progress of the runner was not impeded."

Now, in keeping with our NZ friend, who says to always start teching new umps with the definitions, (and that's a very good approach) - what does the Fed book define obstruction as? Look in Rule 2, under the definition for obstruction. After you do that, tell me was this runner obstructed?

Your call is correct.The catcher may block the plate when in possession of the ball prior to the runner arriving at the plate.It would be OBS if she blocked the plate before receiving the ball.If you felt the contact was malicious,you have the out plus the runner is ejected and restricted to the dugout in NFHS play.Good Call!

Jeff
NCAA Umpire
NFHS Umpire
ASA Umpire

Sounds like a good call to me

This is one of your NZ friends .
15 ft which is about 3 metres .No slow down ,deviation
Nailed and out !

Uh, 15 feet is just short of 5 metres. Or meters.

So my next question to call OBS , when the runner is not at the base yet, the runner has to deviate or maybe even pull up ? I am really trying to get this right. I am being easy on myself in regards to this particular play because of the 1 man crew SITCH. So now all I have to do is figure out DP/Flex. LOL

Thanks for all the feedback. Mike

For OBS to occur the runner HAS to do something as a result of the fielder. Change direction, slow down, stutter step trip etc. So if the fielder has the ball it doesn't count, but any other time it is OBS. BUT, and I have seen it called, the runner has to react to the fielder to be able to get an OBS call. I had a coach ask me about the 2nd basewoman covering on a bunt saying she was covering too much base (fed only white bag) I watched and to me she was covering a lot of the bag, BUT the runners never slowed, or turned or reacted to her presence so there was no OBS. I am sure that someone will correct me if I am wrong but to me being in the way is not enough for OBS, you have to "be in the way" and cause the runner to react to it.

Check the editorial here for my view.

The rule prohibits impeding the runner without possession of the ball; it does not prohibit blocking the base without possession of the ball.

mccrowder
Thank you for that correction I was thinking of something else and 5 metres is even worse .
No obstruction

Dakota-the missing link
 

Dakota, thank you for the "it does not prohibit blocking the base without possession of the ball." I knew there was something i was trying to get my pea brain around- and that was it. One argument I heard, from a JV coach, was as soon as his runner rounded 2B the F5 had to get out from being in front of 3b. I knew that didn't sound right but didn't have the words-now I do.