Catcher Obstructing Home Plate

[MsDinosaur]

DD has been taught to set up completely inside the baseline and then drop to her knee to block and tag once the ball arrives.

Unfortunately, it seems as though her teams frequently end up playing against catchers who block the plate early and do not get called on it. Since it's darned effective--it quite often turns the first close play at the plate into an out every game, I can't see that they'll ever stop doing it. Perhaps it will lose its effectiveness when they get past 12U. One can hope.

 

[crystlemc]

Unfortunately I believe there are too many coaches out there that teach their girls to obstruct not only at the plate but on the bases as well knowing that it is unlikely that umpires are going to call it. The best way to draw attention to it on the bases is to bump into the fielder (as opposed to run into her), enough to call attention to the obstruction. Home plate is a different story. You should avoid contact there.
I think you should note early in the game if fielders and the catcher are not getting out of the way of the runner or blocking the plate. Bring it to the umpires attention early before it becomes an issue.
I especially hate the plate blocking when there is no play at the plate.

We played a Pittsburgh area team this past summer at a WPA ASA tourney. No safety bags. Well, the first baseman always set up for the throw with her foot completely in front of the bag, taking up the entire right of way. After a couple of our girls either tripped or ran around her, the umpire finally said something to the coach. The coach flat out told him the he would continue to tell his player to set up that way. Our next batter was our 5'10" 175lb freight train. When she came trucking down the line, that first baseman moved in a hurry, because our girl wasn't about to alter her path on a multi base hit.

Coaches who teach their players to block bases without a play are just asking for an injury. Eventually, they will come across a team that will run right through them, if necessary.

ETA: we whooped that team a gazillion to zero. DD pitched a no-hitter...lol.

 

[rydog73]

We played a Pittsburgh area team this past summer at a WPA ASA tourney. No safety bags. Well, the first baseman always set up for the throw with her foot completely in front of the bag, taking up the entire right of way. After a couple of our girls either tripped or ran around her, the umpire finally said something to the coach. The coach flat out told him the he would continue to tell his player to set up that way. Our next batter was our 5'10" 175lb freight train. When she came trucking down the line, that first baseman moved in a hurry, because our girl wasn't about to alter her path on a multi base hit.

Coaches who teach their players to block bases without a play are just asking for an injury. Eventually, they will come across a team that will run right through them, if necessary.

ETA: we whooped that team a gazillion to zero. DD pitched a no-hitter...lol.

Coached American Legion baseball for years. Came across a team that set their 1B like that. During a close play as he stretched our runner lunged for the bag and came down on the back of his leg. Torn achilles for the 1B was the result. Total irresponsibility by the coach caused a kid to not only miss the rest of the baseball season but his entire JR year of high school sports.

 

[Bucketrider]

I wish people would think about teaching for a lifetime instead of for a season. If these fielders don't learn correctly in 12U, they're going to get ripped open with metal cleats in hs.

 

[YOCOACH]

We played a Pittsburgh area team this past summer at a WPA ASA tourney. No safety bags. Well, the first baseman always set up for the throw with her foot completely in front of the bag, taking up the entire right of way. After a couple of our girls either tripped or ran around her, the umpire finally said something to the coach. The coach flat out told him the he would continue to tell his player to set up that way. Our next batter was our 5'10" 175lb freight train. When she came trucking down the line, that first baseman moved in a hurry, because our girl wasn't about to alter her path on a multi base hit.

Coaches who teach their players to block bases without a play are just asking for an injury. Eventually, they will come across a team that will run right through them, if necessary.

ETA: we whooped that team a gazillion to zero. DD pitched a no-hitter...lol.

I remember that game...lol. DD was PO d that they tripped our girl. She was ready to plow her if she didn't move. Your DD pitched a great game too!

 

[MTR]

Just to be clear, there is no such rule that states a player cannot block a base without the ball. The rule is that a defender not in possession of the ball or not in the act of fielding the ball shall not impede or hinder the progress of a runner, position on the field is irrelevant. NCAA rules makes an additional provision for being about to receive a ball. The myth with that portion is that many carry a baseball train of thought that this meens the throw is on the way. In softball, it means that the ball must get to the fielder before the runner.

If you have players blocking a base in this manner and the umpires are not ruling obstruction, it is most likely for one of three reasons: They do not understand the rule, are afraid to make the call or are just out-right arrogant and think they know how the game should be played, the rules be damned.

In my area, it is drilled into umpires to not hesitate making the OBS call. There is no downside of making the call. If the runner reaches the base they would have had there been no OBS, it is dropped. If not, there is no automatic award, just the base they would have made had the OBS not occurred and that may be the base behind them.

But it should be remember, an act of INT or unsportsmanlike conduct in not absolved by OBS. See a player intentionally make contact with a fielder, the OBS may not be applicable, but INT or UC may be.