A couple of rules questions

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Jun 22, 2008
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Is that the rule in USA softball? I've always thought that the runner who was obstructed would not be called out.

Ex: Runner is obstructed between 2nd and 3rd, "greedy" coach sees the delayed call, makes choice to send the runner home where she is retired on a tag. Once play stops, umpires conference, OBS call is enforced and retired runner is awarded - and thus, sent back to - 3B. The umpire rules that if not for the obstruction, the runner would have been safe at 3B.

Is this wrong?

Yes that would be wrong. An obstructed runner cannot be put out between the 2 bases where the obstruction occurred, but, they can be protected as far as the umpire judges they would have reached absent the obstruction. In your play the umpires judges the runner only would have reached third base, but she continued beyond 3rd and was put out. No, she cannot be returned to 3rd base after continuing past the base she was protected oto.
 
Feb 3, 2011
1,880
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Thanks, Comp. Just another reminder to keep reading and studying, because I will forget and then misremember things that should be rote.

A runner between 2B and 3B is obstructed as she is retreating to 2B. Generally, is 2B the award in this case?
 

marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
113
Florida
Thanks, Comp. Just another reminder to keep reading and studying, because I will forget and then misremember things that should be rote.

A runner between 2B and 3B is obstructed as she is retreating to 2B. Generally, is 2B the award in this case?

Yes - the award is the base the runner would have likely reached if the obstruction would not have occurred. In this case, as the runner is retreating and there would have been no advance and since the runner is protected you would put them back on the original base.
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
Is that the rule in USA softball? I've always thought that the runner who was obstructed would not be called out.

Ex: Runner is obstructed between 2nd and 3rd, "greedy" coach sees the delayed call, makes choice to send the runner home where she is retired on a tag. Once play stops, umpires conference, OBS call is enforced and retired runner is awarded - and thus, sent back to - 3B. The umpire rules that if not for the obstruction, the runner would have been safe at 3B.

Is this wrong?

Yes, that is wrong (in USA Softball and other codes). An obstructed runner cannot be called out between the bases where she was obstructed.

If the runner advances beyond the next base, it is now the umpire’s judgment what happens.

In your example, they should NOT have put the runner back at third base. She was protected between second and third. Once she crossed third, she was no longer protected. After the play, the umpires agreed she would have gotten to third without the obstruction BUT did not believe she would have reached home without the obstruction, so the protection does NOT extend past third base. She should have been called out.

Minor change to your situation ... the play at the plate is a banger (close play) and the runner is tagged out. If, in the umpire’s judgment she would have been safe IF NOT for the obstruction between 2nd and 3rd, the umpire WOULD award her home and the run scores (out is nullified).

Edit: having technical issues and didn’t see Comp’s reply. (y)
 
Feb 3, 2013
6
1
I have a couple of questions about a game we had this weekend.

The first one: we had a girl get caught off 3rd base and was in a pickle. She is quick so the defense had their hands full. The catcher has the ball and causes the runner to change direction. The runner goes back towards 3rd base and runs directly into the 3rd baseman. She is then tagged by the catcher. The 3rd base coach tell her to continue and touch home plate. The umpire calls her out.
When asked for an explanation, the umpire said the 3rd baseman was not in the baseline.

2nd question: during a game with a time limit, should time be stopped when you summon the tournament director for a rule clarification? There were no protests allowed at this tournament as that is the route we would have taken.

Thanks
First question the defense player must be in the defense side if a runner runs into a player she should of been awarded third base any time a player runs into a player they get the base they are going to
Second question
The time should of stopped it's like a injury that's not a judgement that's a rule
 

MTR

Jun 22, 2008
3,438
48
First question the defense player must be in the defense side if a runner runs into a player she should of been awarded third base any time a player runs into a player they get the base they are going to

Simply not true.
Second question
The time should of stopped it's like a injury that's not a judgement that's a rule

If there were no protests allowed (which is absurd), why would anything stop for a protest?
 
May 29, 2015
3,731
113
First question the defense player must be in the defense side if a runner runs into a player she should of been awarded third base any time a player runs into a player they get the base they are going to

What is “the defense side”?

And, as MTR said, “no”. The rule, in its entirety is posted earlier in this thread for your reading enjoyment.

Second question
The time should of stopped it's like a injury that's not a judgement that's a rule

Citation on that? (Because, “no”.)
 

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