"how hindered"
 

Anyone want to talk about how you judge runner hindrance or "how hindered" the runner has to be for OBS to apply. I'm thinking mostly about plays right at the base when the defense is setting up to receive a throw, at least partly in the way.

If, in my judgement, the defense is blocking access to the base and the runner does anything to react as a result, then you have OBS. This "anything to react" could be sliding earlier than normal, veering to one side or another, slowing or pulling up...etc.

What if....
 

If the catcher is straddling home plate and the runner pulls up because she doesn't want to slide, what then?

If the catcher doesn't have the ball ... DDB & Obstruction

Excellent point. Very often, when I have called Obstruction, I get the crack that the runner wasn't blocked or "she had plenty of room".

Joe In Missouri

I thought you would all enjoy the following e-mail, sent from a manager to the director of a slow pitch league I assign. The director forwarded the message to me this morning:

Could you send out an e-mail and mention to the umps that the catcher is not allowed to block the plate? Last Wednesday, we had a player called out for failing to slide at home. The Ravens' catcher came out from behind the plate and stood in the baseline without the ball standing waiting for a throw. The catcher has to stand behind the plate at all times unless he is moving to field a throw. The catcher is not allowed to block the plate like in baseball. The catcher caused a collision because he stood in the baseline without the ball waiting for a throw. The catcher should have been called for interference before the slide or avoid rule came into play. With the slide or avoid rule the runner does not have to slide if the runner avoids a collision with the catcher who is standing behind the plate. If the collision occurs and the catcher is in the baseline, it is interference and the runner is safe.

Should I hire this guy to run a clinic?

Ok, he doesn't know the rules...most people don't. but, if you are going to WRITE AN EMAIL... MAYBE, check the rules first? Nahhhhhhhhhh!

Oddly (or maybe not), I had a discussion with a coach regarding a game this weekend who made a very similar argument.

ASA really, really does need to disabuse people of the notion that THEY put in their heads when the "about to receive" was first removed from the rule. The wrong statement about blocking the base is STILL in the RS on obstruction.

At least with about to receive, we didn't have to listen to this kind of nonsense.