That's Interference!

[charliej47]

HS JV - Bottom of the 3rd, runners on 1st and 2nd.

B3 hits a grounder to F6. F6 come in to play the ball and misplays it. F6 turns just as the runner from 2nd starts to pass her and runs into the runner. BU and I both yell OBSTRUCTION! at the same time. BU turns to watch the following runners and I watch the obstructed runner going into 3rd.

The 3rd base coach holds the runner.

After F7 gets the ball to F6, BU calls time and motions for me to come talk to him.

He asked me about the runner on 3rd and I told him that the coach held the runner as they had a large lead. HE was OK with that.

The DC asks for time and wanted to know why we had not called interference by the runner.

After I explain three times about the difference between obstruction and interference, he still did not understand, so I said coach lets play.

[CecilOne]

Originally Posted by charliej47

HS JV - Bottom of the 3rd, runners on 1st and 2nd.

B3 hits a grounder to F6. F6 come in to play the ball and misplays it. F6 turns just as the runner from 2nd starts to pass her and runs into the runner. BU and I both yell OBSTRUCTION! at the same time. BU turns to watch the following runners and I watch the obstructed runner going into 3rd.

The 3rd base coach holds the runner.

After F7 gets the ball to F6, BU calls time and motions for me to come talk to him.

He asked me about the runner on 3rd and I told him that the coach held the runner as they had a large lead. HE was OK with that.

The DC asks for time and wanted to know why we had not called interference by the runner.

After I explain three times about the difference between obstruction and interference, he still did not understand, so I said coach lets play.

Saying F7 implies to me that it was no longer within the step & reach at the time of the impediment.

Please let the BU make the call alone next time.
I I were BU and wanted to talk, I would go to you.

[charliej47]

Originally Posted by CecilOne

Saying F7 implies to me that it was no longer within the step & reach at the time of the impediment.

Please let the BU make the call alone next time.
I I were BU and wanted to talk, I would go to you.

During Pre-game - We agreed that I would pick up the lead runner after she left 2nd base.

[MD Longhorn]

Nothing wrong with PU making this call, although like basketball - this is your partner's primary, so I'd hesitate half a second before calling it, in case he saw it the other way around. Worst thing you can have here is him calling INT and you calling OBS. Sounds like OBS to me too - but you don't want a blarge.

Coach deciding to hold the runner should not have an iota of bearing in whether you send this runner home or not - coach's decision was made AFTER the obstruction and was based on where that runner was and where the ball was at the time he made that decision.

Would she have scored absent the OBS - that's ALL that should matter to you.

[charliej47]

The runner was protected to 3rd base. She would have made home and added another run to the books but the coach decided to hold her so they could play another inning.

[Dakota]

Originally Posted by charliej47

The runner was protected to 3rd base. She would have made home and added another run to the books but the coach decided to hold her so they could play another inning.

So, you're going to aid and abet the coach attempting to extend the game? Aren't you participating in an illegal act?

(Besides, what possible good can come from extending a blowout JV game?)

[youngump]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Would she have scored absent the OBS - that's ALL that should matter to you.

This is an interesting point. If the coach has a large lead and is holding his runners to one base on everything and then a runner gets obstructed between 2nd and 3rd I don't think I'm going to award home on that. She got the base she would have absent the obstruction. I also sense that I won't get any argument since the coach wasn't really trying to score her.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by youngump

This is an interesting point. If the coach has a large lead and is holding his runners to one base on everything and then a runner gets obstructed between 2nd and 3rd I don't think I'm going to award home on that. She got the base she would have absent the obstruction. I also sense that I won't get any argument since the coach wasn't really trying to score her.

If the coach is holding his runners to avoid running up the score, and a ball is thrown out of play, are you going to alter your award?

I hope not. And you shouldn't here either.

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Coach deciding to hold the runner should not have an iota of bearing in whether you send this runner home or not - coach's decision was made AFTER the obstruction and was based on where that runner was and where the ball was at the time he made that decision.

But the coach made that decision after hearing 2 umpires call obstruction, too.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

But the coach made that decision after hearing 2 umpires call obstruction, too.

Another reason that him holding the runner is irrelevant.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by charliej47

During Pre-game - We agreed that I would pick up the lead runner after she left 2nd base.

Which is ok, except that when F5 or F6 makes a play on that runner between second and third, or at third on a force play, you would be going against all convention if you made the call on her.

[IRISHMAFIA]

Originally Posted by charliej47

HS JV - Bottom of the 3rd, runners on 1st and 2nd.

B3 hits a grounder to F6. F6 come in to play the ball and misplays it. F6 turns just as the runner from 2nd starts to pass her and runs into the runner. BU and I both yell OBSTRUCTION! at the same time. BU turns to watch the following runners and I watch the obstructed runner going into 3rd.

The 3rd base coach holds the runner.

After F7 gets the ball to F6, BU calls time and motions for me to come talk to him.

He asked me about the runner on 3rd and I told him that the coach held the runner as they had a large lead. HE was OK with that.

The DC asks for time and wanted to know why we had not called interference by the runner.

After I explain three times about the difference between obstruction and interference, he still did not understand, so I said coach lets play.

To start, I would never yell "obstruction". No problem with either umpire making the call as there are different angles and one may see what the other cannot. But as the umpire, you better be damn sure of what happened and be ready to explain it to the coach and/or UIC.

Your job as the umpire is to award the runner the runner the base that would have been reached safely had the obstruction not occurred.

Bringing the coach's action or perceived intent is just not appropriate and not in the umpires' purview of the application of the rule. You do not know why the coach held the runner. Maybe he is one of the smart ones and is doing just what umpires tell them to do, coach the game in front of them and trust the umpire to make the correct call and ruling. That is a trust an umpire should have and by not applying the rule properly based on an assumption may just obliterate the integrity of the crew. Unfortunately, it is that lack of trust and many an umpires' insistence on being the nice guy and just wanting to do what they perceive as the "right thing" that has caused some rules to become convoluted and in some cases have had mandatory penalties/awards added.

You see the play, you officiate the play, you apply the appropriate rules and move on. It is not as hard as so many seem to want to make it. If you are worried someone who is ignorant of the game will not like you because of it, take up golf.