That's Interference!

[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.