the last obstruction post ever(just kidding)

[mcrowder]

[QUOTE=MNBlue]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Speaking ASA

Obstruction is called when you see it. Only give the DDB signal. No reason to run around with your wing flapping in the air, but hold the signal for a few seconds to give the coachs a chance to see it. ASA does not call for a pronouncement of "obstruction".

Mike,

I have always had a problem with the DDB signal for obstruction, i.e., how does the runner and/or coach know to what base we are protecting the runner? We may not think it is important, but I believe savy runners/coaches will use the protection to take at least that base, where inexperienced runners will not contiune to the protected base.

I have always felt it was incumbant upon us as officials to communicate with the participants any rulings we make that can affect their decision making. If they don't know to where they are protected, we are forcing them to read our minds, possibly limiting their choices.

We cannot inform people during a play what the award is going to be, and while it's important to US, it should not be important to savy runners/coaches. Why does it matter AT ALL if the inexperienced or experienced runner continues to the awarded base? Our ruling should NOT affect their decision making, and I can't think of a case where it would.

[MNBlue]

I misspoke in the prior post. I was initially thinking of runners continuing past protected base when I typed not continuing to the protected base. Obviously, we would award the base if the runner stopped short.

This is one scenario. BR hits what I think is a double, gets obstructed rounding first, and continues to third. I have the BR protected to second, she goes to third and gets thrown out. I call her out at third, and the coach tells me of the obstruction and how she can't be out and now I get to explain to the coach that she put herself in jeopardy because I only protected her to second. How was the BR or the coach to know that I only protected the BR to second? Do they need to know?

[mcrowder]

They don't need to know that you might be awarding 3rd base. If you were, and she stopped at 2nd, you would award 3rd. If you weren't, and she stopped at 2nd, you wouldn't. All that the coach should be doing at this point is telling her to run if she will be safe. The umpire will award if necessary afterward. A coach trying to get a player to advance an extra base on the chance that that base might be awarded anyway is a stupid coach. It's all risk, no reward.

[MNBlue]

But in my scenario, in the coache's mind, there was no risk because he thought the hit was a triple and his player was protected to third.

Stupid or not, the coach is basing his decision on what he thinks I am thinking. And just like coaches don't think the same, not everyone has the same perspective on to where runners should be protected.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

But in my scenario, in the coache's mind, there was no risk because he thought the hit was a triple and his player was protected to third.

Stupid or not, the coach is basing his decision on what he thinks I am thinking. And just like coaches don't think the same, not everyone has the same perspective on to where runners should be protected.

Sorry, but that's the coach's problem, not the umpire's. There are just as many non-OBS plays when a coach believes one thing or another that doesn't come to fruition on the base paths.

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by MNBlue

But in my scenario, in the coache's mind, there was no risk because he thought the hit was a triple and his player was protected to third.

Stupid or not, the coach is basing his decision on what he thinks I am thinking. And just like coaches don't think the same, not everyone has the same perspective on to where runners should be protected.

No, it's ALL risk, since he doesn't KNOW what we are thinking...

And it's NO reward, since if he doesn't send her, and we were going to award 3rd anyway, she's going to get 3rd ... so sending her has absolutely NOTHING to gain, and EVERYTHING to lose.

If he's basing his decision on what he thinks you are thinking, and he has even the smallest portion of a working brain, he would NOT send her - since she's got 3rd anyway if you're going to give it to her.

All of your comments stem from someone thinking that the baserunner must attempt to attain the awarded base in order to get that award... and are quite bluntly, flat wrong. We should not be inventing mechanics to protect the stupid.