That's Interference!

[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.

[youngump]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

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.

No because the award is two bases there. The award for the obstruction is the base they would have reached absent the obstruction. Absent the obstruction she would have stood on third for a long time waiting for the ball to be thrown in. [see below]

So suppose you judged she would have made it to home, and when you announce the award, the coach at third wants to keep her there. WWYD?

Not happening runners have to take awarded bases. That said, off the top of my head I couldn't tell you what the penalty for that is. I'm thinking there's no rule that makes a runner out for failing to take an award (other than of first) so I guess I'll have to direct her to score and then eject her for making a mockery of the game? This part I'm not sure of.

For the obstruction comment, I was only half-serious, I don't think fast enough to do this on the field and wouldn't if I did. Just thought it was interesting that the rule assumes the runner is trying to advance as far as possible but that's not always the case.

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by youngump

That said, off the top of my head I couldn't tell you what the penalty for that is. I'm thinking there's no rule that makes a runner out for failing to take an award (other than of first) so I guess I'll have to direct her to score and then eject her for making a mockery of the game? This part I'm not sure of.

Actually, you could invoke the forfeit rule (e.g., FED 4-3-1e) when a coach "willfully and persistently violates any one of the rules after being warned by the umpire." You tell the runner she has to advance home, and the base coach insists she stay at third base, then that coach is willfully violating a rule.

[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.