Another obstruction, what's your call?

[Lance Steckler]

once obstruction was indicated, runner is either safe at home or Safe at 3b.

 

[Crabby_Bob]

This is definitely obstruction and will be called as such by any umpire who has even a remote understanding of the rule. Occurring at 3B protects this runner between 3B & HP. In this case the obstruction was signaled by U3 and the "out" call by the plate umpire would have been reversed.

Minor correction: Obstruction was called by PU, the runner was called out by U1 at home. The crew awarded the runner home.

 

[tim_s]

What part of the obstruction rule says the runner must be headed home in this situation to be obstructed? Was she not very obviously hindered when she came around the base? That is obstruction and must be called. And once obstruction is called with very few exceptions the runner cannot be put out between the two bases where obstructed. A smart runner knowing obstruction has been called should attempt to advance their position, they have nothing to lose in doing so.

honest question: shouldn't the runner have the ability to round the base unimpeded, so that if the opportunity presents itself she may take home (a missed cut, a bobble).....and in this case the fielder's positioning removed that option

imho the obstruction occurred regardless of the runner's intent.....the fielder, who was not involved in making a play, impeded the runner's ability to round the bag, so obstruction was called.......the only time your argument that she did not intend on going home until AFTER the call comes into play is in their discussion as to award home or safe passage back to 3rd......

 

[Comp]

honest question: shouldn't the runner have the ability to round the base unimpeded, so that if the opportunity presents itself she may take home (a missed cut, a bobble).....and in this case the fielder's positioning removed that option

imho the obstruction occurred regardless of the runner's intent.....the fielder, who was not involved in making a play, impeded the runner's ability to round the bag, so obstruction was called.......the only time your argument that she did not intend on going home until AFTER the call comes into play is in their discussion as to award home or safe passage back to 3rd......

You are making the exact same argument this post was referencing to someone else who said they did not feel it was obstruction because the runner wasnt actually heading home. You have misread what I was saying, yes this was obstruction and I specifically stated even in the post you pasted that it must be called.

 

[tim_s]

haha

You are making the exact same argument this post was referencing to someone else who said they did not feel it was obstruction because the runner wasnt actually heading home. You have misread what I was saying, yes this was obstruction and I specifically stated even in the post you pasted that it must be called.

- intended to reply to someone else with this one, the board is behaving wonky

 

[RADcatcher]

I disagree, @RADcatcher , that "absolutely there is a reason to believe the runner would want to score rounding third!"

Of course teams want to score, that is the goal. Especially when the ball is really far away from home plate!

"Yes, I am overcomplicating it, I know I am.

Doesn't seem to be a good reason to do that. Seems it would be more appropriate to communicate to make it easier to understand

While we do not want to get into the business of reading minds, I want to challenge umpires to be more aware of the details and reading the body language.

Let me get you a crystal ball with that

 

[dogpatch]

I disagree, @RADcatcher , that "absolutely there is a reason to believe the runner would want to score rounding third!"

"Round it and take a look" is a very common teaching/strategy.

Yes, I am overcomplicating it, I know I am. While we do not want to get into the business of reading minds, I want to challenge umpires to be more aware of the details and reading the body language. As I said, I highly doubt I would have anything less than an obstruction in real time. However, we need to be keying on what is happening. Yes, the coach has the stop sign up. We aren't judging the coach's intent, but it certainly is evidence to consider. The runner, IMO and ON VIDEO (again, probably not seeing this in real time), does NOT appear to be rounding third to head home. Her eyes and head are in the wrong place. Her momentum is not going the right direction. She is rounding to take a look, which may entail heading home after that, or it may not. Yes, we probably aren't going to see this in real time, but I am challenging umpires to begin to train ourselves to be observant of the little things.

As for the "close play" at the plate, it wasn't that close.

I submit that, in real time, interperting minutia such as body language, or what she appears to be thinking, or what the coach is signalling, etc. cannot and should not be factored by an umpire. F5 either obstructed or she did not. The runner either attempted to advance further or she did not. The obstruction either had an affect on the play or it did not. This type of obstruction is very common in high school softball and a well-trained base runner will easily recognize when she experiences it. Knowing that she becomes protected between the bases where it occurs, she should automatically attempt to advance to the next base. There are also subtle (and legal) things a runner can do to help make the obstruction very obvious. This particular runner did an excellent job of bringing attention to the obstruction. Her 'brush and stumble' was not an accident. It is the umpire's job to recognize the obstruction, signal the obstruction, and award the runner the base to which she in entitled under the rule. My experience is that MOST umpires in our area DO recognize the violation and call it correctly.

Had this obstruction not occurred this play would have been extremely close!

 

[The Man In Blue]

honest question: shouldn't the runner have the ability to round the base unimpeded, so that if the opportunity presents itself she may take home (a missed cut, a bobble).....and in this case the fielder's positioning removed that option

I know this is not exactly the case in the video, and that may be what we are splitting some hairs on.

No, she does not have the right to round the base unimpeded. She has the right to progress to the next base unimpeded. If she is rounding to stop and look, the obstruction before that did NOT prevent her from making it anywhere safely. The momentum needs to be continuous.

That is the minute nit that I am picking (for the sake of discussion, as I said, in real time on the dirt, I am 99.99% making the same call they made). If she checks herself up, it was not the fielder. If she keeps moving, then it is on the fielder.

The reality is, as @Comp and others have said, the call is made. That is part of what I am cautioning. We want to be on the spot with the call, but do not be too fast.

Yes, you are correct, astute runners and coaches will be on their game with this (as they should be!).

@RADcatcher of course teams WANT to score, that is the objective! I am saying that simply rounding the base is not automatically trying to score/advance. Rounding the base can be assessing the opportunity and making a choice.

 

[Charblue]

I disagree, @RADcatcher , that "absolutely there is a reason to believe the runner would want to score rounding third!"

"Round it and take a look" is a very common teaching/strategy.

Yes, I am overcomplicating it, I know I am. While we do not want to get into the business of reading minds, I want to challenge umpires to be more aware of the details and reading the body language. As I said, I highly doubt I would have anything less than an obstruction in real time. However, we need to be keying on what is happening. Yes, the coach has the stop sign up. We aren't judging the coach's intent, but it certainly is evidence to consider. The runner, IMO and ON VIDEO (again, probably not seeing this in real time), does NOT appear to be rounding third to head home. Her eyes and head are in the wrong place. Her momentum is not going the right direction. She is rounding to take a look, which may entail heading home after that, or it may not. Yes, we probably aren't going to see this in real time, but I am challenging umpires to begin to train ourselves to be observant of the little things.

As for the "close play" at the plate, it wasn't that close.

The coach's action is irrelevant to the play call. The only action to consider are the fielder and runner's interaction. This is obstruction, the 3rd baseman is spectating. If there was a tag play there, her positioning wouldn't be optimal for it. This is outstanding umpiring work by the first base umpire covering for his plate partner who is actually on the wrong side of the foul line when he makes the obstruction call. He should be on the inside of the diamond and leaning toward third, in case he has to move in for a play at the plate. If the crew communicated this coverage pregame, then acted on the situation, A-plus, plus extra credit.

As umpires reading a play, you observe intention but you don't prejudge it, because you have no idea what's in someone else's mind, other than anticipating where it requires you to be, so you are prepared to make the next call.

 

[Tazman]

Anyone see the Oklahoma/Washington game? There was an obstruction call at the plate that I thought was suspect, but after they read the rule it seemed correct. Basically the catcher blocked the plate without the ball before the runner was near it. it was called even though it looked like it would have otherwise been a pretty clear out with ball arriving well before runner.