Obstruction? (photos: high bandwidth only!)
 

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I remember that play and thinking:
- whether the runner changed approach before on camera (i.e., impeded or not)
- where the ball was when the runner changed approach (i.e., did about to receive apply?)
- runner reached plate before ball arrived (frame 3, safe either way)
- anywhere but NCAA, OBS
- whether to consider INT if another runner played on
- wishing I could see the whole play

As I do not like resorting to HTBT, my TV perception was the ball is too late to be ABTR and the runner only slid to avoid the block, so OBS.

Absolutely with zero reservations in any rule set.

Why do you say that?

that is obs in Ncaa. if it was called, I do not know but my understanding of NCAA obs ruling that was obs.

Umpire did signal OBS...it was discussed in another topic on this forum. Only debate was over who signaled the OBS at the plate, the PU or U1. Do you have a pic of the umpire on the play that you may have cropped out?

One of a list of things I thought at the time, knew it was OBS in HS, rec, etc. but only in NCAA we have to consider "about to receive".

Gotcha. However, this case meets the criteria for OBS in NCAA as well.

As above, "my TV perception was the ball is too late to be ABTR and the runner only slid to avoid the block, so OBS."

Yes, NCAA still has the "about to receive" clause in the Obstruction rule.

I have been taught that "about to receive" is defined as the ball being closer to the fielder than the runner.

In this sequence, I would consider the runner impeded in either Pic #2 or #3.
In neither pic is the ball there, so I have Obstruction.

Watching this play live, the camera switched from the ball in the outfield and showed the runner sliding home and the umpire (either PU or U1) with the left arm out for the Obstruction call. I did not see the OBS happen. On the replay that followed the runner from second, you saw the entire play with the runner sliding between the catcher's legs and the obvious obstruction.

Still agree.

Either I missed the replay or forgot it when SRW posted the above.

No.