Just one of those games...

[CelticNHBlue]

Another post reminded me of a situation I had in an 18U ASA tournament game last year, which had more than its share of fun:

Just prior to the hands separating, batter contacts catcher's glove on the backswing. I jump out from behind catcher with a NO PITCH. Pitcher stops her motion and then falls to one knee on the ground (obvously something does not feel right with her). Coach asks me why I called no pitch. I explain the situation. He argues that I can not call no pitch, I have to let her through and then call no pitch so as not to confuse or distract his pitcher; who is now on the ground crying. I ask the pitcher if she is ok and get a tearful yet aggressive 'NO'. I offer a suggestion that he tend to his player and we can continue this discussion later when I will explain the rule to him. He continues with me, now yelling that if I had been hit with the pitch after calling no pitch that I would take it out on his pitcher or even sue. I again ask if he would like to check on his pitcher who is now crying and trying to get up potentially making any sustained injury worse. He is now blaming me for the injury that his pitcher has apparently sustained, after all he still has not checked on her and she is limping to the dug out hunched over and grasping her side. Finally, as I have refused to converse with him, he gives up and checks his player and sends in a sub (and she reported to me).

Later in the same game (other team/coach):

2 outs, R1 on first, B1 hits a gapper (no fence) to left center. 3B coach is sending R1 from the start. R1 rounds third and establishes a basepath to the plate. Suddenly, 45 feet away, she deviates on step away from the 3B line. Then, at 30 feet, she deviates again. Throw comes in, beets the runner by a step and a half, catcher makes a great tag on a nice sweep slide for the out, inning over. Coach is coming down the line for a discussion: "Blue, the catcher was blocking the plate and my runner deviated!" "Yes coach, that is true, however at the time this occured, no one was obstructed." "But the catcher was blocking the plate without the ball!" "Yes coach, but until your runner is impeded, there can be no obstruction." "But the new rule this year, she has to have the ball!" "Coach you can't have obstruction until the runner is impeded. For example, if, with no one on, their batter hits one in the gap and your pitcher crosses the third base line to back up the play as the BR rounds 2B, should I call obstruction because she was between the runner and the plate?" "I guess not." (Thanks for playing )

Add that my base umpire was talked into calling a fantom illegal pitch, catty players, and of course this game was scoreless into the bottom of the ninth when they finally put me out of my misery.

[mcrowder]

Um, maybe it's the description that's lacking... but it SOUNDS like the 2nd sitch REALLY IS OBSTRUCTION. The question the umpire has to answer is "Why did the runner deviate?" Did she alter her path because of a fielder in her path without the ball? If so, that's obstruction. Perhaps I'm misreading something here.