F2 drops ball on tag while blocking plate

[DTQ_Blue]

Tourney yesterday. On play at plate, F2 gets the ball ahead of runner. She legally blocks plate, runner slides tag is made and runner's momentum causes F2 to drop the ball. F2, having gone to her knees to make the initial tag attempt is now on the ground blocking the plate with the ball easily within her reach on the ground. The runner quickly (and smartly) reaches around F2 and touches the plate just before F2 can pick up the ball and tag her. So I have "safe."

I asked my partner after the game if he thought this would be OBS if it were the other way around and F2 had tagged the runner before the touch. He said that is considered a trainwreck and would not have been OBS.

I'm not sure I agree, but would like to hear other opinions.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

...I asked my partner after the game if he thought this would be OBS if it were the other way around and F2 had tagged the runner before the touch. ...

At the point F2 lost possession of the ball, she can no longer legally impede the runner. If she did that, that is obstruction, whether she was able to tag the runner or not.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by DTQ_Blue

Tourney yesterday. On play at plate, F2 gets the ball ahead of runner. She legally blocks plate, runner slides tag is made and runner's momentum causes F2 to drop the ball. F2, having gone to her knees to make the initial tag attempt is now on the ground blocking the plate with the ball easily within her reach on the ground. The runner quickly (and smartly) reaches around F2 and touches the plate just before F2 can pick up the ball and tag her. So I have "safe."

I asked my partner after the game if he thought this would be OBS if it were the other way around and F2 had tagged the runner before the touch. He said that is considered a trainwreck and would not have been OBS.

I'm not sure I agree, but would like to hear other opinions.

I would say yes as long as the runner was actually impeded. IOW, the runner would have to make an effort to reach the plate AFTER the ball came loose.

[MGKBLUE]

The slightest attempt by the runner to get to home plate, I have OBS.

[wadeintothem]

Make no call on this, life is good.

So stand fast, make no call.. if there is the scramble, let it play out, as you did.

Get goofy and start calling OBS on this play and something goes crappy.. and there is hell to pay.

I have no call. He who gets to the plate/gets the out first wins.

If something happens that is bad, say Catcher holds runner or something weird, you can always throw the arm out.

Let them play ball.

[Dholloway1962]

Originally Posted by wadeintothem

Make no call on this, life is good.

So stand fast, make no call.. if there is the scramble, let it play out, as you did.

Get goofy and start calling OBS on this play and something goes crappy.. and there is hell to pay.

I have no call. He who gets to the plate/gets the out first wins.

If something happens that is bad, say Catcher holds runner or something weird, you can always throw the arm out.

Let them play ball.

Amen Brother Wade. I can take the hell that is due on a controversial call but calling OBS on this...not good. Both players have a right to be where they are.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by Dholloway1962

Amen Brother Wade. ...Both players have a right to be where they are.

True, as far as it goes, but blocking the base with possession of the ball carries with it the risk that possesion will be lost due to legal contact, leaving the defender still blocking the base, but now without possession of the ball. If the defender persists in impeding the runner to, for example, give her time to retrieve the ball and make the tag, that is obstruction, whether you two are willing to make the call or not.