Obstruction Revisited

[fastpitch]

As a long time coach, tournament director, administrator, expert chalk machine operator but new to umpiring would like to hear how strict your intrepretation is on obstruction, situations:

18U
#1 R1 leads off 3B, F5 playing just behind inside the baseline, Catcher throws to F5, R1 has a clear path back to 3B, remains upright, shoulder makes contact with F5 as she returns to 3B and she breaks stride, (would not call it a collision but she does stumble a bit), then ball arrives, tag applied before reaching the base, umpire calls obstruction, safe and places her back on 3B. He made a good distinct call on it with little hesitation.

#2 Let's say same as #1, R1 leaned into F5 or was off balance and veered into F5 say not quite 3 feet out of baseline.

#3 Same situation, ball arrives same time as contact - wreck?

Yes, I was in a coaching role, we are on defense and my daughter is playing 3B - I've taught fielders not to block the base, and runners to break stride/brush opponents but never to intentionally harm a fielder plus the slidebys, etc. I and my daughter in this case are confused by the extremely strict interpretation of obstruction and interested in your opinions on how strict you call it?. Shouldn't we to some extent let them play or do I as a coach need to start teaching them to play softball like tag - fielders run away from the runners and runners try to run into the fielders and vice versa after the fielder gets the ball. I'm not talking about the fielders just getting in the way because they aren't paying attention but more - how do you judge wreck versus obstruction or do you aletr your call relevant to clear path to the base.

[whiskers_ump]

Originally Posted by fastpitch

As a long time coach, tournament director, administrator, expert chalk machine operator but new to umpiring would like to hear how strict your intrepretation is on obstruction, situations:

18U
#1 R1 leads off 3B, F5 playing just behind inside the baseline, Catcher throws to F5, R1 has a clear path back to 3B, remains upright, shoulder makes contact with F5 as she returns to 3B and she breaks stride, (would not call it a collision but she does stumble a bit), then ball arrives, tag applied before reaching the base, umpire calls obstruction, safe and places her back on 3B. He made a good distinct call on it with little hesitation.

Appears Blue made the correct call.

#2 Let's say same as #1, R1 leaned into F5 or was off balance and veered into F5 say not quite 3 feet out of baseline.

Thnik I would have same call.

#3 Same situation, ball arrives same time as contact - wreck?

If ASA, "wreck", NFHS, OBS.

Yes, I was in a coaching role, we are on defense and my daughter is playing 3B - I've taught fielders not to block the base, and runners to break stride/brush opponents but never to intentionally harm a fielder plus the slidebys, etc. I and my daughter in this case are confused by the extremely strict interpretation of obstruction and interested in your opinions on how strict you call it?. Shouldn't we to some extent let them play or do I as a coach need to start teaching them to play softball like tag - fielders run away from the runners and runners try to run into the fielders and vice versa after the fielder gets the ball. I'm not talking about the fielders just getting in the way because they aren't paying attention but more - how do you judge wreck versus obstruction or do you aletr your call relevant to clear path to the base.

In most cases, you know a wreck when you see it. In all cases, an umpire should know OBS when s/he sees it.

[fastpitch]

I think if there is a clear path to the base and the runner deviates no obstruction should be called which really is not in one of my examples. It being bball season we all know the differences in officiating regarding letting them play. As a coach, I always hated the block at 1B on the pickoffs and initially liked the new definition on obstruction but coaches will start teaching the BR to break stride, etc to get OBS call when it is called too strictly.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by fastpitch

I think if there is a clear path to the base and the runner deviates no obstruction should be called which really is not in one of my examples. It being bball season we all know the differences in officiating regarding letting them play. As a coach, I always hated the block at 1B on the pickoffs and initially liked the new definition on obstruction but coaches will start teaching the BR to break stride, etc to get OBS call when it is called too strictly.

As a new umpire, you need to throw out all those other hats.

You always call OBS when it happens. While your (generic umpire) judgment is required, your opinion isn't.

There are a few rules for which umpires do not care, but that doesn't give us the right to ignore them or enforce them in the manner we prefer.

In all of your plays, OBS could be the ruling unless I, as the umpire, believed the runner was initiating the contact with the intent of drawing an OBS call.

[fastpitch]

Yes, am new to umpiring, lots of mistakes yet to make but loving it so far. We covered obstruction in our clinic and it was taught the way the posts here describe. Thanks for the good advice.