2 umpires and OBS call
 

R1 at 1B. Batter hits a single. 2 man crew. BU signals OBS on R1 between 1st and 2nd, and the runner continues to 3rd. PU is there for the play, R1 is out on a very close play. BU believes R1 would have made 3rd w/o the obstruction.

Is the outcome at 3B BU's call, i.e., PU's call at 3rd is negated by the preceeding OBS, or does BU tell PU what he saw and then PU can change his call? Who makes the final decision?

If BU called the OBS and felt R1 should have gotten 3B, R1 gets 3B. When PU calls R1 out, BU should call the dead ball and inform the PU of the award.

The OP is actually at the top of my pre-game list of discussion items for either 2 or 3 person mechanics.

The discussion goes something like this:

If a runner is obstructed, the umpire that has the call at the base must make the call irrespective of the OBS. If the runner is out but protected to that base, the umpire making the OBS call should immediately call dead ball, and we will get together to discuss the OBS.

If the runner is not protected to that base or is called safe. No action is required by the umpire that called OBS.

The reason for this is two-fold:

a. The other umpires maynot see the OBS being called; or

b. We cannot read the mind of the umpire that made the OBS call and therefore call it as you see it and if necessary it can be discussed.

I am not sure getting together on that is the best idea unless its really quick. There is no need to discuss the obstruction because if the runner was obstrcted between first and second and U1 continues to protect her past second then U1 should come up with a dead ball at the conclusion of the play if that play results in the runner who was protected being out. Getting together would cause ,in my opinion, a coach who knows the rules ( i know they are rare but they do exist) to be all over one or possibly both of the umpires because they had to discuss something when the U1 protected the runner to third.

Agree, nothing really to discuss, but the umpire making the call does need to know what is going on and why his partner killed the play and kept the runner there.