Rundown and OBS

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by DaveASA/FED

My question is when does the OBS protection stop? Once the play is over? Or once the player has reached the base they would have made had there been no OBS? I remember reading almost those exact words in the book, sorry at work and book at home I will look up later.

So if BR hits a ball to shallow center field and rounds 1st into stupid F3 I have OBS, F8 throws back to F6 so R1 (former BR) retreats to 1st base (the base she would have gotten with no OBS) then there is an overthrow to F1 and R1 takes off for 2nd, you are going to protect R1 between 1st and 2nd? If thrown out put her back on 1st?

Yes. By definition (with exceptions of INT, passing, missing a base), any obstructed runner cannot be put out between the bases where she was obstructed. The case you listed is easy - protection is not over.

A more interesting case is - R1 left early on a pop, is obstructed by SS, and judged as protected to third base by BU. Ball is caught, runner returns to first, ball thrown away (not out of play), runner touches, runs to 2nd, and is then thrown out at third base.

By rule, this runner is still protected both TO third and between 2nd and 3rd. Logic tells most of us she should not still be protected, but by rule, she is.