Obstruction?

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by Dakota

Well, from one millisecond in time, it is hard to say what the call should be. My point was you have to see the play and make your judgment. The rule says nothing about blocking the base and it says nothing about the runner deviating. All it says is the runner may not be impeded. Was this runner impeded? Yes, OBS; no, nothing.

I agree of course - I was basing my thoughts on the following premise:

It is faster to run through than to take an altered path and hook slide. Obviously, hook slide is the proper move for this player due to positioning of the catcher and by the looks of the play - ie, the runner is forced to perform a slower move... impeded.

I dont think this should or will get called in most cases - but that is an alternate POV on possible impeding for discussion purposes... based on a 1 millisecond in time capture of this play.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

I agree of course - I was basing my thoughts on the following premise:

It is faster to run through than to take an altered path and hook slide. Obviously, hook slide is the proper move for this player due to positioning of the catcher and by the looks of the play - ie, the runner is forced to perform a slower move... impeded.

I dont think this should or will get called in most cases - but that is an alternate POV on possible impeding for discussion purposes... based on a 1 millisecond in time capture of this play.

So you are stating that it COULD be ruled OBS based on the umpire's belief that a hook slide would have been more beneficial to the runner though there is absolutely no evidence that a hook slide ever entered the runner's mind.

[Andy]

I see the hook slide at home on a close play quite a bit in the upper levels of ball that I call. I have usually determined that the ruuner was choosing the hook slide path for strategic purposes as others have mentioned. The runners usually start going more into foul territory well before they get to the area of the plate, so I don't judge that as being hindered by a catcher in the baseline.

I think that each instance of a play of this type needs to be judged seperately, but I think I am leaning toward giving the benefit of the doubt to the runner.

[wadeintothem]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

So you are stating that it COULD be ruled OBS based on the umpire's belief that a hook slide would have been more beneficial to the runner though there is absolutely no evidence that a hook slide ever entered the runner's mind.

The photo shows what is generally called hook slide.. if you want to nitpick and call it a "go by slide" .. or whatever, fine.. that was not the point of the post in any case.. nice strawman though (for whatever reason)..... that or the runner is collapsing due to Myocardial Infarction.