Obstruction Call- LA Dodgers game

[jmkupka]

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | LAD@SD: Hudson scores tying run on Ethier's grounder - Video | dodgers.com: Multimedia


This takes you to Dodgers game highlights... among them is one called "LAD@SD Cabrera is awarded home on interference call"

Please check it out @ give your comments.
My thoughts... speaking ASA... maybe USC, but there's no way I'm awarding home. He'd have been out by a mile at the plate with or without the OBS.

Just by his mechanics, umpire is giving a penalty to the defense, not awarding a base due to OBS.

Is the MLB OBS rule different?

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

Is the MLB OBS rule different?

Yes. This is considered Type A obstruction in the Official Rules of Baseball. Also known as a runner being obstructed while being played upon. The ball is immediately dead and the obstructed runner is awarded at least one base beyond the last he legally touched.

[jmkupka]

wow... completely contradicts ASA. I was fired up when I saw that call. Guess I'm wrong.

[Andy]

Saw the highlight on ESPN this morning. Perfectly correct call for MLB.

For ASA...I agree, if runner is put out (barring the OBS exceptions) in that situation, I'm awarding third base.

[Paul L]

OBR 7.06(a)

[IRISHMAFIA]

Okay, let me rile a few people

Wrong call. The runner was NOT attempting to reach 3B.

There runner clearly taunted the catcher and, IMO, with full intent to interfere with the play blocked the ball with his leg/hip and, in doing so, initiated contact with the defender who was clearly attempting to stay out of the runner's path.

BTW, I would have pointed with my left. From the OF, I'll be this looked like an ejection or the umpire asking the PU for help.

And I don't care what game it is!

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Okay, let me rile a few people

Wrong call. The runner was NOT attempting to reach 3B.

There runner clearly taunted the catcher

I disagree. It appears to me he was trying signal the BR over to 2nd base, which is why I think he turned back towards 3rd, to buy extra time to advance the BR.

with full intent to interfere with the play blocked the ball with his leg/hip and, in doing so, initiated contact with the defender who was clearly attempting to stay out of the runner's path.

I could possibly see that but I don't think the fielder was that innocent either.

[steveshane67]

Originally Posted by IRISHMAFIA

Okay, let me rile a few people

Wrong call. The runner was NOT attempting to reach 3B.

There runner clearly taunted the catcher and, IMO, with full intent to interfere with the play blocked the ball with his leg/hip and, in doing so, initiated contact with the defender who was clearly attempting to stay out of the runner's path.

BTW, I would have pointed with my left. From the OF, I'll be this looked like an ejection or the umpire asking the PU for help.

And I don't care what game it is!

I dont know if that was sarcasm or not but in baseball runners are taught then when you are in a run down, TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE FIELDERS, bc it is INT. this happens probably about once a month in MLB, and obviously happens much much more often in lower levels of play.

[Dholloway1962]

AFA, IFA, and I believe NAFA have a rule about a runner being obstructed during a rundown. They are awarded the lead base.

AFA also has a rule about flagrant obstruction, which I think this MLB play might qualify. The penalty for that is an immediate ejection. Flagrant Player Obstruction: The fielder shall not at any time flagrantly (with deliberate unsportsmanlike intent) impede the batter, batterrunner
or runner.

[greymule]

jmkupka, Official Baseball Rules (OBR) and ASA rules differ in a thousand ways beyond the obvious ones that anyone can see while watching a game. It is best if you do not attempt to apply any baseball rules to softball or vice versa.

Obstruction, interference, awarding of bases, appeals of missed bases, scoring of runs, force plays, batting out of order, even the batter having a foot in contact with the plate when making contact—there are key differences in all these areas.

OBR have changed little over the past century. Somebody from 1909 reading today's rule book would recognize almost all of it. Therefore, OBR are also supplemented by volumes of interpretation (J/R, PBUC, MLBUM, BRD, Evans).

Further, OBR rules are very different from the rules that apply to high school and college baseball games.

In the clip, it looks to me that the throw did not hit Cabrera but got away from F5 just before the contact. But even with the ball loose, Cabrera was still being directly played upon (I guess), and there was contact, even though Cabrera did deliberately get himself a little extra-tangled with the fielder. And that might have gotten him the award of home. Had there been minimal contact just after the ball got away (technically OBS), with Cabrera diving right back into 3B, I suspect there would have been no call.

[Dholloway1962]

Originally Posted by greymule

even though Cabrera did deliberately get himself a little extra-tangled with the fielder.

To me, looks like the fielder deliberately scissor locked Cabrera's leg to try to prevent him from getting back to 3B

Also, after looking at video again, IRISH may have a point about Cabrera intentionally getting hit by the thrown ball. He does throw his leg and hip out there.

[steveshane67]

Originally Posted by jmkupka

wow... completely contradicts ASA. I was fired up when I saw that call. Guess I'm wrong.

I think you mean ASA completely contradicts OBR. ASA is based off of baseball and OBR and made changes they thought best suited softball.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by steveshane67

I think you mean ASA completely contradicts OBR. ASA is based off of baseball and OBR and made changes they thought best suited softball.

It's a SOFTBALL forum.

[Tru_in_Blu]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

It's a SOFTBALL forum.

Thanx, I was beginning to think it was a beer forum.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by steveshane67

I think you mean ASA completely contradicts OBR. ASA is based off of baseball and OBR and made changes they thought best suited softball.

Maybe, maybe not. Softball more resembles rounders than baseball and that is where both games originated.