I thought it had been brought up several times why 99% of the world feels the NZ interpretation, as posted here, is giving a great advantage to the defense.
To simplify to it's purest form - in every other code except NZ's interp, if a batter hits a ball that would have been a double, and is then OBS - she's going to be awarded second base. So anywhere but NZ, the runner is not penalized for getting crashed into.
In NZ - if a batter hits what would have been a double, and is then crashed into, falls, and only makes it to first, you are only giving her first base. Obviously, this creates a huge advantage to the defense for obstructing.
Next time I'm coaching in NZ (
), I'm coaching my first baseman that anytime she sees an obvious extra-base hit (especially a likely triple or homer), she needs to hinder the runner as much as possible before BR reaches first base, as there is no penalty. Catcher and pitcher should pitch in - perhaps a 2-man screen in front of first base, with the catcher grabbing from behind.
Wed Jun 01, 2005, 07:34am
Threaded Mode
