Catcher’s Limits

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by tcannizzo

Steve M.

I can appreciate that you don't agree with the rule. But I didn't write the rules. I just try to enforce them. I am going to give the authors of the rule some benefit of the doubt that these words didn't just accidentally creep into the book.

What if the catcher's feet were just an inch short of the point on home plate and the catcher's reach put the mitt out in front of the plate?

What if the catcher wasn't quite that far up, but prevented the pitch from striking the plate by reaching for it, where if she didn't catch it, it would have hit the plate?

Tony, I believe you are misenforcing this rule. This rule allows you to call CO if the catcher is so far forward (over or in front of the plate) that he OBSTRUCTS the batter (with or without a swing). If the batter was merely taking the pitch - the batter was not obstructed from doing what they were going to do. The rule you quote does not mean that EVERY time the catcher leans out partially over the plate to catch the ball, it's OBS. It means that if the catcher does this AND OBSTRUCTS, it is OBS.