must obstructed runner physically touch base?

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally Posted by Dakota

OK, we have a runner proceeding most of the way home, and then diverting directly into her dugout without ever passing home (8-3-B states, "When a runner passes a base, the runner is considered to have touched that base. This also applies to awarded bases."). Since the runner did not pass home, she is not considered to have touched it.

Being obstructed does not relieve the runner of the obligation to properly run the bases. (8-5-B-NOTE1)

So, why isn't this runner merely declared out? (8-7-U)

In my opinion, 8.7-U doesn't apply. It says runners are out if they abandon a base and leaves live ball territory; what base was abandoned? If the intent of the rule was to call out any runner that left the field and abandoned any effort to run the bases, wouldn't it say that? Could we assume the exact limitation of "abandon a base" was intended? Since the runner did not walk off a base into the dead ball territory, no base was abandoned, just the effort to legally advance.

A second line of discussion may turn this into a major circle-jerk. Suppose you DID invoke 8.7-U, and ruled the runner out for abandoning. Would you not then be required to award the same runner home, since abandoning a base is not one of the specificly listed exceptions to not being called out between the bases under 8.5-B(1)??

Third line of discussion; the intent of the obstruction rule is to negate the improper actions of the defense which impeded the runner. The exceptions to that protection are obvious baserunning violations, if not blatent efforts to supercede appropriate results using "protection". Here is a case where you could almost certainly conclude that the runner truly believed she is awarded home, and doesn't realize she still needs to touch that base. Since the defense violated, wouldn't it be most appropriate to require their proper appeal to retain any advantage gained from their obstruction?

Fourth line; your reference to 8.3-B quoted "When a runner passes a base, the runner is considered to have touched the base." The rule goes further to add "This also applies to awarded bases." When the delayed dead ball is called, you have effectively awarded the runner protection; either home, or can't be out, so back to third. Softball doesn't use the baseball designations of gross miss versus passing and missing; the only place for the runner after home is the dugout. You could equally argue that not touching home, but going to the dugout constitutes passing the base; is a runner passing solely based on what side of the field her dugout is situated? Do we penalize her for being in the 3rd base dugout, but require a different action if she runs to the 1st base dugout? Taken to an extreme; R1 on 1st, leaves on hit, which is caught for an out, the attempt to double off R1 is thrown into dead ball territory. Umpire properly awards 3rd; R1 cuts across the infield directly to third base. On a proper appeal, would you then refuse to call R1 out under the only applicable rule (8.3-B) because R1 didn't "pass" 2nd??

For all the above reasons (some more pointed than others), this is an appeal play to me.