obstruction or out

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by fiasco

I'm gonna play devil's advocate here.

According to the definition and the rule, it is obstruction if the fielder "tag(s) without the ball."

The spirit of the rule is to prevent fielders from "faking out" the runner by applying a fake tag. "Without the ball" applies not to the fielder having the ball, but the tag itself.

You read it as "fielder FAKES A TAG without the ball", meaning the fielder fakes a tag but doesn't have the ball in his/her possession.

I read it as "fielder fakes a TAG WITHOUT THE BALL" meaning the tag lacks the presence of the ball to make the tag an out.

I'm not sure if there's an official interpretation on this, but if not, I'm going with the spirit of the rule here. Runner is safe at 2nd.

Were you in the room when this rule was enacted or read an interpretation defining the "spirit of the rule"? I didn't think so

To start, DA, the definition also required the act to impede the runner. Do I need to cite the definitions of impede or hinder? If anything, the case could be made that the fielder actually aides the runner in her advance to the base by pushing her.

BTW, part of the "spirit of the rule" forbidding a fake tag is player safety at the umpire is instructed to eject the player if the umpire felt it is justified. That is not the case involving any other form of OBS.

And, finally, the definition of "obstruction" clearly exempts such a call if the fielder is "in possession of the ball." Well, the glove is neither a fielder, player or something which may possess much of anything other than the character of a glove.

Sorry, Bubba, .....er, Satan, don't buy your argument. I would go with a DMR when a runner stops prior to hearing an "out" call or reaching the base to which s/he is advancing.