Catcher blocking the plate

[Proudmumof2]

Can a catcher stand with both feet on the plate, legs together, completely blocking the plate if the ball is still in the outfield and on its way to the cutoff who will throw it to the catcher?

My daughter was taught to never do it, that you are not allowed to stand on the whole plate and block it. She was taught to keep the back corner open and never stand legs together.. This weekend I watched it happen repeatedly during a championship game and it was never called. Then again, the ump never called the catcher out for stepping on the runners thigh on her way back to the dugout.

 

[Eric F]

No. A fielder (including a catcher) cannot be in the path of the runner without the ball.

How would an ump call a defensive player out?

 

[Proudmumof2]

He called two of our girls out because they went outside the baseline and tried to go behind the catcher just to get to the plate.

It was a long and bloody game for a chance at the first place trophy...we got second which I am still happy about. Second out of 12 is still amazing for a first year 14u team

 

[softgabby]

I was never taught anything by my coaches about how to block the plate safely from an incoming baserunner. I know what I know from various videos I've seen. I stand a few feet from the plate between the plate and the pitchers circle away from the baselines and watch the play develop in the outfield. I'll watch the ball come into the infield where I'll stand closer to the plate...but not close enough to get called for interference. I'll receive the ball from the cut-off man and drop at the plate. I like to have my knee bent at my right leg where it's up and down with my protector out. My left leg is along the ground, protector out and I'll apply the tag. I'm not even sure if I'm doing it properly myself so I can't even recommend what I do.

 

[Ajaywill]

The catcher (or any fielder, for that matter) can stand anywhere they want to.

What the fielder can't do is obstruct the runner if the fielder does not have the ball.
If the catcher standing on home plate does not have the ball AND the runner is hindered in her attempt to get to the plate, the catcher is guilty of obstruction.
This is a delayed dead ball and at the end of playing action, the umpire will award the runner the base she would have achieved with out the obstruction.

If the fielder has the ball, the fielder is allowed to block the base or stand on top of it. If a runner deviates from their base path (a straight line from where they are to the next base) more than three feet to avoid a fielder trying to tag them, the runner is out.

As far as the catcher stepping on a runner, if the umpire saw it and felt it was malicious and intended to hurt the runner, the catcher could be ejected.

 

[Eric F]

He called two of our girls out because they went outside the baseline and tried to go behind the catcher just to get to the plate.

It was a long and bloody game for a chance at the first place trophy...we got second which I am still happy about. Second out of 12 is still amazing for a first year 14u team

If the fielder has the ball, the runner can not go more than 3' outside the baseline to avoid a tag. If the fielder does not have the ball, it's a possible obstruction call if the fielder is in the base path and impeding the runner's progress or blocking access to the base.

If the ump called your runners out for going outside the baseline, and the catcher did not have the ball, the ump needs to go back to ump school.

 

[smddad]

If runners were called out for deviating from the base their path, the coach should call time. He should ask the umpire what the call was. The next question should be, "did the fielder have the ball?" If not, the coach should protest on a rule misinterpretion. The blue then checks with the UIC or the TD to clarify the call.

 

[djcarter1966]

WoW good luck with that!! If my DD is rounding third and the ball is being throw in from the outfield and you are standing on home plate without the ball you are probably getting hurt, nothing dirty just a good hard slide right over the center of the plate, I've seen it happen once. Again it nothing mean or malicious it is just the way she plays the game. Even with the ball you stand ON the plate and you should expect to get taken out. Now if you take one step forward up the baseline ball in hand and get taken out I'll be the first to escort DD to the parking lot if that's what the ump calls because she knows better

 

[Eric F]

dj - How do you feel about the "Texas Hip Check"?

 

[djcarter1966]

The video I saw was interesting because the girls is not in the base path (and the ball was not even on its way) but she is in front of the plate she then leans back into the area over the plate my guess would be first one is free, second one will cost you if it is the viral video from a few months ago that you are talking about.