Should I have called it?
 

R1 on 2nd. Ground ball to short. BR safe on a close call at 1st.
R1 rounds 3rd (too far) and attempts to get back to 3rd. 3rd baseman straddles the line and in my opinion is obstructing prior to receiving the ball and tagging out the runner. BU calls "tag-out".

I think I should have called the obstruction from the plate but I said nothing. BU discusses call with the offensive coach who did not ask for the BU to get help. I think I might have kicked this.

Do I call it right away? (am I jumping on my partners call?)

Do I wait to call it when asked for help? (that would look bad)

Is this the PU's call because it is the lead runner? (although this was a runner returning to 3rd and BU was at a 90 on the call)

The right call was obstruction and it did not get called. Let's get some opinions please.

No - partner jumped your call.

It was your runner; your call. If you were there, a couple steps on the infield, your angle was not that far different from the BU's view.

WMB


BTW - Either umpire can call obstruction or interference. If the BU (wrongly) took the safe/out call, you still could have your arm out. Then call time and tell the BU what you saw. Let BU make the final call.

As noted, this is the PU's call.

However, if you were still at the plate (which your post indicates), I see no problem with the BU taking this call.

If you believe there was OBS, then call it. But if you were at the plate, I doubt you had a better look than the BU.

Regarding your actual question --- it really doesn't matter who's call it is - either umpire can and should call obstruction when it's seen.

Yeah, Thats what I thought. I just like to tell people my mistakes so perhaps others and I don't make them again.

That would be step 10....

The Twelve Steps of Umpires Anonymous:

1. We admitted we were powerless over softball —that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that becoming an ASA umpire could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our lives over to the care of the UIC.
4. Made a searching and fearless rules knowledge inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to the UIC, to ourselves, and to another umpire the exact nature of our umpiring mistakes.
6. Were entirely ready to have the UIC remove all these defects of umpiring.
7. Humbly asked the UIC to retrain us.
8. Made a list of all players and coaches who I should have ejected, and became willing to eject them all if necessary.
9. Improved game management skills for such people wherever possible, except when to do so would be detrimental to the game.
10. Continued to take personal rules, skills, and mechanics inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through study and experience to improve our umpiring skills.
12. Having had a softball awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to all willing and able to become umpires.

:D

obstruction call
 

Rachel

First off - how have you been. Looking forward to Colorado in a few months.
Second, was this NCAA game or ASA or Fed? If NCAA, I don't have a problem with BU making call because of angle as you said earlier. Also, usually, the PU is still close to the plate watching for a pulled foot on the play at 1st. Whoever makes the call, they rule on OBS and the other should stay out of it unless asked.

Stay warm. See you soon

Larry