Yet another OBS scenario: base path and home plate

[kblump]

Originally Posted by mcrowder

You're only looking at half of the rule. I grant that you are looking at the half that most people forget ... but you are forgetting the half that everyone else remembers.

F2 is not in possesion of the ball and is not fielding a batted ball and is impeding the progress of the runner who is legally running the bases (open for debate since we were not there). I give, what am I forgetting?

[NCASAUmp]

The way I would look at the OP is this... If the fielder does not have the ball, and their positioning causes the runner to deviate from their chosen path, then we would have obstruction, regardless of what side of the base they are on. Since home plate is inherently different from second and third (as a runner can touch it and run past it without being liable to be put out after passing it), I would dare argue both as a coach and an umpire that the runner's path can extend beyond the bag. If a fielder's positioning beyond HP affects the runner's ability to continue their chosen path (causing them to slow down, move aside, stutter their steps, etc.), then I would argue that OBS occured.

Mike (IRISHMAFIA) is correct in that this may just be one of those plays that you HTBT in order to see it. However, after chatting with other blues on this one, I got such a variety of answers that I had to see what others thought. I had one of my partners say, "if the runner has about 80% of the plate available to them, I'm not calling OBS."

What?! And here, I thought the runner had their choice...

[mcrowder]

Originally Posted by kblump

F2 is not in possesion of the ball and is not fielding a batted ball and is impeding the progress of the runner who is legally running the bases (open for debate since we were not there). I give, what am I forgetting?

The impeding the progress part. I guess to me, just standing near someone's path to the base (or in this case beyond that path) could impede their progress to that base. And I'm considered by most to be an OVERuser of OBS.

[Steve M]

Another consideration to throw in here is the age and skill level of the players involved.
For example
Last weekend, doing some high level men's ball, that's not obstruction - that's just a dumb move by the runner and his team will take care of his education.
Tomorrow night, when I'm filling in for someone in a 14&U B level game - the intimidated runner may well be judged to have been obstructed.