Obstruction Rule Clarification/explanation, PLEASE!!

[Al]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

Al... heck yeah you should have called interference when the ball hit the runner. She interfered with F4's ability to make a play.

Had the ball not hit her, NO, you cannot have OBS, as this is one of the cases where the fielder has the right to be where she is - fielding a batted ball. You COULD still have INT, even without contact with the ball.

Thank you sir,

Still learning, and just when I think I have the rules of interference and obstruction understood a play comes along that throws a little mud on the windshield. But now I realize it doesn't matter if the fielder appears to be intentionally trying to be in the baseline or basepath of a runner... as long as she is in the process of fielding a ball. Or of course, if she already has the ball. The game becomes more and more fun to umpire as I have a better and better understanding of situations that are not so clear cut. Although after thinking about it and reading the replies I see the play was a clear cut interference, and I should have called it. But thank God It didn't change the outcome of the game... Thank you mcrowder!...p.s. I am still smiling when I think of that "worst call" play you shared with us a while back... ..Al