Opponent blocking the bases....

[quincy]

A couple of assumptions here.
1) Fielder is out of position and is obstructing the runner
2) Runner takes out the fielder
3) Runner is safe on their base
4) Umpire ejects the runner

Questions:

Runner is still safe right? Player is just ejected.

When is the play stopped or does it just keep going until the umpire try’s to unwind it when it is a dead ball?

Can the umpire unwind it by advancing the ejected players base position?

 

[FPump]

A couple of assumptions here.
1) Fielder is out of position and is obstructing the runner
2) Runner takes out the fielder
3) Runner is safe on their base
4) Umpire ejects the runner

Questions:

Runner is still safe right? Yes

Player is just ejected. Yes

When is the play stopped or does it just keep going until the umpire try’s to unwind it No

when it is a dead ball? As soon as the umpire calls the runner out for 'taking out the fielder.'

Can the umpire unwind it by advancing the ejected players base position? ????

Not clear as to what you were asking in the last question.

 

[quincy]

My answers are buried in my quote, thank you.

 

[Comp]

I have ejected a player for a similar situation. She was upset she cue balled the ball right down the 1st base line and she plowed F3 standing there waiting to tag her with the ball. Coach almost went to for then coming out and arguing the girl was just trying to protect herself by raising her elbows. Protect herself from what? F3 standing perfectly stationary waiting for the runner to get to her to be tagged?

Had a HS game the other night where we had a collision at the plate. Ball beat the runner, runner slid late and her body was still mostly upright when she ran into the catcher and runner got the worst end of it. Coach was mad and came out arguing it should have been an obstruction call but my partner was having none of it. I was getting a drink down the line from dugout when I overhead the coach telling his players the call was total BS and if the defense got in their way again they were to plow them. I immediately told the coach not to be instructing his players to do something illegal and if there was any unnecessary contact both the player and he would be leaving the field.

 

[42'sdad]

Here is an example of DD for ya (DD is batter). Now who is in the wrong here? You guys be the Umps and make a call. FYI, the play is going to be at 3rd.

 

[Gulf Coast Blue]

What is the question.....what are we supposed to be looking for?

Joel

 

[42'sdad]

What is the question.....what are we supposed to be looking for?

Joel

My bad, I guess the discussion has been leaning toward weather or not a base runner should initiate contact when obstructed? The video above shows the SS standing on the inside corner of 2nd base, the base runner makes contact with her and trips and falls. The field ump does the right thing and calls obstruction (nice job blue). Now the play was at 3rd base, runner slid into 3rd but the ball was over thrown witch lead to the race between runner and catcher to home.
Some of you have said that the runner should avoid contact. I thought this was a good video to share cause it clearly shows exactly what this thread is about.
This runner IMO, did exactly what she should have done. Had she ran around the SS I doubt the obstruction would have been called. Most umps stress safety and I agree with them, but if the obstruction call would get called with out having to make contact wouldn't that make things safer? Don't get me wrong the problem is not with the umpires, the problem starts with what the kids are taught and what they do in practice. But sometimes lessons are learned the hard way. It's part of the game.

By the way, I spoke with the FU between innings to get some clarification. He said he would have only gave her 3rd base. So had she been called out at home she still would have been out. But if she got thrown out at 3rd the call would have been reversed because of the obstruction.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

Thank you 42's Dad...your video is exactly the kind of example that I wanted.

 

[chinamigarden]

People aren't saying avoid contact. They are saying that lowering your shoulder or raising your elbows and plowing into a fielder is wrong. Contact like in your video is normal and you got the correct call.

 

[BaldNBeautiful]

People aren't saying avoid contact. They are saying that lowering your shoulder or raising your elbows and plowing into a fielder is wrong. Contact like in your video is normal and you got the correct call.

Thanks chinamigarden (BTW, I have often wondered the origin of the name?) that has been my point. I don't want flagrant contact,injury or poor sportsmanship.
But when the fielder is camped out in territory that should belong to the baserunner, it cannot be avoided without hindering the offense.
Unfortunately the conversation kinda wandered off into bulldozing the fielders.