Let me put it this way. . .
Watching the video with Maddie standing in front of the plate well before she catches the ball, all a "smart" runner would have to do is intentionally slow down, stutter, or somehow make it clear that her path to the base was "impeded" while the catcher was just standing there.
This is exactly how it played out with the Zack Cozart Marlins/Reds reversal.
There's a reason NECC instructs to not set up in the base path. Probably to remove all doubt.
Mathis was ruled to be in violation of the newly instituted Rule 7.13 from Major League Baseball, which stipulates: "unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the Umpire, the catcher, without possession of the ball, blocks the pathway of the runner, the Umpire shall call or signal the runner safe."
That being said, it was a blown call.
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