Where does the 1st baseman stand getting a throw from RF ?

[RubberBiscuit]

Question -

So if you have a right fielder with a gun of an arm and you can pretty regularly make a play on sharply hit grounders to RF, where should/can the first baseman line up for the throw without the risk of being called for Interference with the inbound runner that could claim she wanted to round the base for going to second??

Noting that many fields have the orange "safety" bases where the first baseman can't really use that square since it is "off limits".

I don't see an answer here.....

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Yes, you can use the orange bag, on defense. On any force out attempt from the foul side of first base, or an errant throw pulling the defense off of the base into foul ground, the defense and the batter-runner can use either the white or colored portion.

As a first baseman, I would set up on the back inside corner of the bag, I would expect the runner to be going through the bag and not rounding it, since she can see the play.

 

[Comp]

You are talking about obstruction, not interference.

If there is truly a play being made at 1st base by a throw from F9, the runner has no argument they were going to round the bag. There is no chance a runner is going to round the base if they are trying to beat out a throw at 1st. As for where F3 should stand, they stand as they would receiving any other throw at 1st, just facing out to RF.

 

[canyonjoe]

If there is a throw coming she has a right to stand on the base. She just needs to move if the throw goes to 2nd.

 

[Eric]

If there is a play at first, with a throw coming from the RF, the runner will be running through the base. Hitting the orange bag.
There will be no reason for her to try rounding the bag. If she is, she will be hitting the inside corner of the bag.
The play is right in front of her. she wil see the throw coming to the bag. No way will she be rounding the bag, unless she has no clue what she is doing

 

[CoachKevin]

Backside of the white bag is where the 1B should be setting up to receive the throw from F9.

 

[MTR]

You are talking about obstruction, not interference.

If there is truly a play being made at 1st base by a throw from F9, the runner has no argument they were going to round the bag. There is no chance a runner is going to round the base if they are trying to beat out a throw at 1st. As for where F3 should stand, they stand as they would receiving any other throw at 1st, just facing out to RF.

If there is a throw coming she has a right to stand on the base. She just needs to move if the throw goes to 2nd.

If there is a play at first, with a throw coming from the RF, the runner will be running through the base. Hitting the orange bag.
There will be no reason for her to try rounding the bag. If she is, she will be hitting the inside corner of the bag.
The play is right in front of her. she wil see the throw coming to the bag. No way will she be rounding the bag, unless she has no clue what she is doing

You are taking a lot for granted. Just because F9 & F3 thinks there is a possible play does not mean there is a play. It is not unusual for a RF to attempt a play when none actually existed.

The issue then becomes that no matter how unrealistic it may seem, the BR/R does have a right to round the base. And if F3 doesn't have the ball and obstructs the runner, it is OBS and she could walk to 2B and you cannot put her out. She may be returned to 1B by the umpire, but barring an act of INT, she's protected between 1st & 2nd.

I would suggest F3 move to the back of the white base for a possible play, but a player (F1/F2) or a designated coach have a verbal signal to call her off if there is no chance to get the out so she can step away from the base toward the ball.

Third world play? Maybe, but better safe than ejected.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Ya this is Obstruction - my bad - I always use the wrong term....

Well DD (playing 1st base) was on the back inside-corner of the white base awaiting the throw,...which was coming until the F9 bobbled the ball-grip. There would have been a close play.

Well the runner, obviously with a preconceived notion on this, circled wide towards the back of the bag (which normally she would be pushing off the front inside corner) and gives DD a shoulder running by.

The ump immediately calls Obstruction - I immediately bite my tongue which is many times flappin at this point......

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Oh ya - I was biting my tongue cuz I honestly did/do not know what was "right" - by the rules....

 

[Comp]

And thats why I caveated my answer with if there was actually a play being made on the batter/runner. If so, 8-2-M-3 requires the b/r to use the colored portion of 1st base.