And another interference call? or not?

[BretMan]

Funny I've been in softball from 10U all the way up to gold ball and I have never seen an obstruction call made without "contact".

Maybe you have bad umpires in your area or maybe they've called it and you just didn't notice. But the actual rule straight from the rule book says that contact is NOT a requirement for obstruction.

The whole intent of the obstruction rule is to reward an extra base to the runner that is obstructed by a fielder not involved in a play or blocking a bag before the fielder has the ball.

This is incorrect. There is no automatic base award associated with obstruction. Plus, whether or not the fielder is "involved in a play" or not has no bearing on an obstruction call.

..as I stated before obstruction is a penalty on the defense and an extra base awarded to the offense (if said runner trys to advance to the next base which most people forget ...you cant just stop at 1st base because there was obstruction and expect the umpire to award the extra base ...doesn't work that way)

Again, there is no extra base award. And there is absolutely NO requirement that the runner must "try to advance" before any bases will be awarded.

Obstructed runners can be awarded whichever or any number of bases that the umpire judges they would have reached had they not been obstructed. They might even been awarded "no" extra bases, depending on if the umpire judges they would have safely reached the next base or not.

 

[wichita]

Maybe you have bad umpires in your area or maybe they've called it and you just didn't notice. But the actual rule straight from the rule book says that contact is NOT a requirement for obstruction.

First off let me say that as far as umpires go you get what you get we play with PGF umpires so if there bad umpires i guess were all doomed. I 'm not saying I've seen every play or umpires decision that my DD teams have had but I am very into the game and watch the game with a purpose, in fact I'm usually the bad parent on ours teams because I call the game the way I see it whether it is a call for our teams or against us. True contact isn't a requirement for obstruction but as I have stated before a lot of umpires do not call obstruction unless contact is made. I've seen girls hit balls in the gap that are automatic doubles and 1st baseman standing on the bag and batter runner has to slow down or stop and then continue around the 1st baseman to the next base and the umpire doesn't hold his arm out to the side for an obstruction call but it is obvious the batter runner was obstructed.

This is incorrect. There is no automatic base award associated with obstruction. Plus, whether or not the fielder is "involved in a play" or not has no bearing on an obstruction call.

Never said it was an automatic award of a base. But that is the intent of the rule if the umpire deems the runner would have made the next base if not obstructed with. Also it does matter if a player is involved in a play or not because if the player is fielding a ball and runner runs into her it now becomes interference and not obstruction.

Obstructed runners can be awarded whichever or any number of bases that the umpire judges they would have reached had they not been obstructed. They might even been awarded "no" extra bases, depending on if the umpire judges they would have safely reached the next base or not.

Agreed that is the rule but I have never seen this rule happen without contact whether it is right or wrong. So if it is not called on a consistent basis(not making contact with defense), If I was still coaching I would teach my girls to make contact but not of a malicious intent to make sure to get the call.

 

[MTR]

Funny I've been in softball from 10U all the way up to gold ball and I have never seen an obstruction call made without "contact". So it is up to the umpires "judgement" to determine contact or just plowing over a girl? My DD has been plowed over numerous times and I mean a couple somersaults and it has always been ruled obstruction plain and simple.

I've been umpiring for 48 years, baseball and softball, and routinely make OBS call as will any good umpire. I've also have been instructing rules and mechanics for more than 15 years including more than a decade of operating an umpire school. It isn't the umpire's job to determine if it would or would not affect the outcome of the play and choose to ignore an impediment, but to call what is seen in accordance with the rules of that game. I agree w/Bretman's assessment

Also in the video you posted the batter pops out to 2nd base and the way she carries the bat and throws it you can tell she's mad she popped out so she takes it out on the 1st baseman no need to round the bag in that scenario but in the case of the OP ball is hit down the right field line and the 1st baseman is just watching the play and is not involved shes plain and simple in the way of the runner rounding the bag. now if you call it just plowing over a kid and the rule and umpire call it that way then I will teach my 1st, 2nd, and 3rd baseman to stand on the bag and make the runners go around them maybe ill win a few games by holding the opposing teams kids to fewer bases.

And I will call OBS every time and award the appropriate base(s). If I determine it to be intentional, I will issue a warning to each player and then eject that player on the next occurrence for unsportsmanlike conduct. If it becomes a serious issue, I may forfeit the game using ASA 5.4.F. You should understand, an umpire does not want to get to that point and if it ever does, shame on the coaches.

The whole intent of the obstruction rule is to reward an extra base to the runner that is obstructed by a fielder not involved in a play or blocking a bag before the fielder has the ball.

That is absolutely untrue. The whole intent of the obstruction rule is to negate the effect of a hindrance or impediment of a runner.

True the baseline doesn't have anything to do with the obstruction rule ....I was merely stating this for location of runner on the field and yes 2 wrongs don't make a right but as I stated before obstruction is a penalty on the defense and an extra base awarded to the offense(if said runner trys to advance to the next base which most people forget ...you cant just stop at 1st base because there was obstruction and expect the umpire to award the extra base ...doesn't work that way) but I have never seen obstruction called without contact (regardless if the rule states there has to be contact or not) so umpires better start calling the rule correct or some coaches will start teaching kids to stand on bases to slow runners down.

I don't care if F3 is standing on the grass, if the runner takes that wide of a turn and is impeded by F3, it is OBS and if your umpires are choosing to ignore an obvious violation, they have taken it upon themselves to change the parameters of the rules under which the TEAMS have chosen to play their game.

Then again, many people do not see an OBS call simply because it is dropped and not announced once the runner safely reaches the base they would have had the OBS not occurred and I would estimate that is the case in over 90% of the cases where OBS occurs.

 

[MT 73]

In the video--does it look as if the BR intentionally ran into F3 or was it obstruction?

 

[Comp]

In the video--does it look as if the BR intentionally ran into F3 or was it obstruction?

It was both. But, because it was a caught fly ball the obstruction is ignored and the batter/runner is still out.

I understand the original play was a base hit into right field. The intention of posting the video was that it was a similar situation as to what was described in the original and to show the runner does not have the right to run over a defender just because they are in the way.