Avoiding A Collision

[honus14]

How is obstruction called on the catcher on a play like this? If the ball is coming in to her or if she has the ball before the runner gets there, she has every right to block the plate.

As Scott and Tom have suggested, if the ball is "coming in to" the catcher and she hinders the runner's progress, that's obstruction (in ASA at least). They took the "about to receive" exception out of the rule some years ago; you have to actually have the ball.

 

[chinamigarden]

Disagreement on rules aside. How is the DD? The way her leg was out when contact was made worries me for her knee.

is she ok?

 

[redhotcoach]

I believe chaz or jay weaver have video on here somewhere of making a tag at home. Teach it to your daughter. My dd missed 6 weeks last year with a broken arm from making an improper tag at home. Rule or not, if your dd didnt get hurt in that play, she is lucky.

 

[FPump]

I hadnt noticed the video link before, just watched it. The catcher has her left leg completely across the 3rd base line blocking home plate. Yes, she catches the ball before the runner gets there, but being in that position there is very likely going to be contact on the play. And, the runner does slide, it was just very late and it looks like she was attempting a pop up slide. When her knee came down it just happened to come down on the catchers leg which was stretched out across the baseline. I see nothing flagrant, malicious or out of the ordinary on the play.

Agree....100%

 

[RobD]

She was laid there a few minutes and was helped up and able to walk it off. It is sore and bruised today. I thought she got hit in the side of the knee and it buckled, but the hit was a little lower, on the outside of the upper calf-lower knee area. She did finish the game. Yes she is lucky. I thought for sure it was a blown out knee.

After the replies on rules here and from others offline I see the rules dont do much to protect the catcher. I dont believe this case was intentional or to nasty as I have seen harder hits. Just seems the runner is protected more than the catcher is. I think it should be the other way around aand the runner should have to avoid the hard contact if at all possible. While some here say she tried to slide, I completely disagree with that part as she stepped/reached out with her right foot to get to the home plate to avoid the tag. I dont believe there was any attempt at all to slide or avoid contact. But at least she wasnt badly injured. Im sure there will be more hits taken as catchers do take a beating sometimes.

 

[MTR]

How is obstruction called on the catcher on a play like this? If the ball is coming in to her or if she has the ball before the runner gets there, she has every right to block the plate.

What I am gathering from the responses is that the catcher is afforded no protection at all under the rules and should be called for obstruction if she blocks the plate as the ball is coming in to her or if she has the ball. Then the runner has no obligation to avoid contact or minimize contact if she can, can basically run through the catcher to get to the plate and if the catcher tries blocking the plate, no worries as the runner is safe anyhow because the catcher "obstructed" her. I cant say I agree at all with that. I agree there needs to be a rule in place thats much clearer and protects the catcher more. Something more clear cut that takes the so called judgement call away from the umps. I think the umps should be there to enforce actual rules, not to make judgement calls. Judgement calls vary way to much from one ump to the next.

Sure would be nice if folks would learn to cite the post or part of the post to which you are responding.

I've got nothing on this play. You think what happened was bad, but what could have happened if the player slid into or over that leg?

 

[Greenmonsters]

I believe chaz or jay weaver have video on here somewhere of making a tag at home. Teach it to your daughter. My dd missed 6 weeks last year with a broken arm from making an improper tag at home. Rule or not, if your dd didnt get hurt in that play, she is lucky.

Excellent advice. And get a copy of the NECC DVD. Girls love practicing setting up properly and trying to knock garbage cans into the side fence.

 

[Greenmonsters]

Sure would be nice if folks would learn to cite the post or part of the post to which you are responding.

I've got nothing on this play. You think what happened was bad, but what could have happened if the player slid into or over hat leg?

Runner did the C a favor by not sliding until late. An early slide would've resulted in an obstruction call and a blown ACL or broken leg.
The impetus should be on the coach to teach the proper blocking technique. If she's not getting it from the coach, you need to look elsewhere. This is why NECC exists and is successful.