Blocking home plate? You make the call

[RubberBiscuit]

The most overlooked obstruction at the plate is when a runner alters her original path because the catcher is in the baseline in front of the plate and the runner attempts a slide-by. When a runner has to employ a sliding technique that would not have been required because a defender without possession of the ball is actually blocking the plate (i.e., disallowing the runner's most direct path based on the base path she established), that's obstruction.

The BS argument we get from coaches is, "You don't know that she slid that way because of my catcher." My response is, "If you're catcher was not in an illegal guarding position in the first place, we wouldn't be having the conversation."

I want to explore this one a bit with you Ump -

So what do you call when a catcher is awaiting a throw coming in and the runner (smartly) does the well-known hook-slide - to avoid in the tag in the furthest distance away from the catcher possible - even though the catcher is NOT blocking any direct access to the home plate.

I assume your judgement is purely based on the catcher being in the baseline path and NOT because the runner altered their path - right?

 

[VA Chris]

I call that smart base running. Runner coming from third should be looking to see whether there is a slide sign being given (hopefully by the batter) and not paying attention to where the ball is coming from. Making every effort to maintain the 3' forgiveness of her base path and pushing it to fully create as much separation from the catcher as possible, is just plum smart running.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

I call that smart base running. Runner coming from third should be looking to see whether there is a slide sign being given (hopefully by the batter) and not paying attention to where the ball is coming from. Making every effort to maintain the 3' forgiveness of her base path and pushing it to fully create as much separation from the catcher as possible, is just plum smart running.

To clarify, the runner is not constrained to 3' of her base path until the catcher has the ball. Prior to that, the runner can choose whichever path they want.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

The most overlooked obstruction at the plate is when a runner alters her original path because the catcher is in the baseline in front of the plate and the runner attempts a slide-by. When a runner has to employ a sliding technique that would not have been required because a defender without possession of the ball is actually blocking the plate (i.e., disallowing the runner's most direct path based on the base path she established), that's obstruction.

The BS argument we get from coaches is, "You don't know that she slid that way because of my catcher." My response is, "If you're catcher was not in an illegal guarding position in the first place, we wouldn't be having the conversation."

Please clarify how/when you establish her "original" path.

Your post seems to indicate a bias to call obstruction whenever the runner does a slide-by. Please clarify.

IME, umpires won't call obstruction if the runner slows and/or alters their path in advance of reaching the catcher because the runner is doing it before knowing whether the catcher will be in their way without the ball. The only time umpires seem to call OBS is when the runner makes a late adjustment just prior to reaching the catcher without the ball.

 

[Umpireernie]

Regardless of rules (which Blues like to selectively employ) I have seen mostly in this case an interference call on the catcher and the runner is awarded home plate. Especially if the catcher is bigger and even more assured if the runner goes down crying like every play in soccer.

So I guess out/safe is potato/patato too? Geez! It doesn't bother me that you don't have a clue but was does both me is your immediate bashing and disdain for umpires who are calling the game by the rules when you can't make it through one sentence without showing your ignorance.

Interference and obstruction are as opposite as safe and out. Not a rose by another name.

 

[SCDad]

First off, blocking the plate and obstruction is done by inferior catchers.

A great catcher knows when the throw is there, the runner is late, and has the ability to get the tag down for an out without putting her body at risk.

A great catcher also knows when the throw is late, the runner is on top of her and has to make a choice. Do I block the plate with a late throw, sacrifice my body (which can get injured) and try to get an out.

The great catcher, the majority of the time will do these calculations in her mind, not block the plate, and eventually ... the run scores. Now for a championship game ... a great catcher will probably block the plate.

For the most part, all this conversation about blocking the plate is an inferior catcher, and more times than not these days that catcher is getting called for ... if anything else ... inferior (or bully) catchers play.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

So I guess out/safe is potato/patato too? Geez! It doesn't bother me that you don't have a clue but was does both me is your immediate bashing and disdain for umpires who are calling the game by the rules when you can't make it through one sentence without showing your ignorance.

Interference and obstruction are as opposite as safe and out. Not a rose by another name.

No crap captain - yer so eager to conclude I don't know the difference that ya can't even tell when I was JUST INADVERTENTLY SWITCHING THE WORDS. WOW - I can tell why you guys, in general, can't fight yer way out of a wet paper bag.....

 

[MTR]

First off, BretMan was correct, there is NO RULE forbidding a defender from blocking any of the four bases.

Secondly, the catcher had possession of the ball and there is no evidence the runner was hindered or impeded.

Based on the OP, if this was anything, it was interference on the runner, with a possible unsportsmanlike ejection of the runner. Any other runners would be returned to the last base touched at the time of the interference.

 

[smddad]

I have an out and an ejection of the runner, if it's as you describe.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

We had a situation where a girl hit a ball to the left field fence and when she had rounded third and about three quarters to home the throw was coming from the cut-off to the first base side of the plate up the line so that the catcher dove from her knees to her right to catch the ball. At that point as the catcher was tring to gather the ball in the runner slid in Feet first.
...
<<Disclosure - Runner was called out (even after catcher dropped the ball and tagged late but C'est la vie) >>>

So in my scenario- It would it have been blocking if our runner slowed or tried to slide around the catcher, since she had not yet received the ball? Our runner did neither...

I don't think your runner needed to do anything differently if she didn't reach home plate because her slide was stopped short by the catcher impeding her without the ball. If that was the case, OBS should have been called.