Just for fun: Critique this obstruction call

[The Man In Blue]

USA Softball rules ...

Runner on first (R1) leaves the base on the pitch and stops for a large lead off, obviously trying to bait a throw. The catcher (F2) hops up and goes towards R1. R1 keeps feinting and dancing back and forth trying to get the throw and is now about 20 feet off first base.

F2 finally throws to the first baseman (F3) who was coming up behind R1 and was the closest fielder to her. R1 breaks for second. F3 throws to the second baseman (F4). R1 reverses and a rundown begins. F4 throws back to F3 and R1 heads back to second. F4 is in the way and R1 stutter steps as F4 clears the lane. My arm goes up for the obstruction call and then drops to continue the play.

The rundown continues for another 5 turns (meaning changes of direction between first and second base) and R1 is finally tagged out while she is headed back to first base and is about 5 feet off the bag.

I call R1 out as she continues through the bag towards the dugout (on the first base side). I immediately call “Time! I had an obstruction on the second baseman! The runner is right here!” and I point at first base.

Later, my partner says “You had it all right until you put her on first base. She should have gotten second.”

I disagreed with him and explained my rationale.

What do you think?

(I’ll wait for some comments before chiming back in.)

 

[Strike2]

Isn't the intent of the Obstruction rule to put the runner on the base they would have made had there been no obstruction?

If obstruction happens on the way back to 1B, and there's a tag, then it seems pretty obvious to put the runner on 1B. However, if obstruction happens going to 2B during a back and forth rundown, I guess it's a "had to be there" kind of decision, but I think I'd lean towards putting the runner on 2B. What would you have done had the runner realized you signaled obstruction and continued to 2B?

 

[testandor]

Isn't the intent of the Obstruction rule to put the runner on the base they would have made had there been no obstruction?

ABSOLUTELY! Which is why I believe that TMIB had it right. As a coach, I coached mostly 11 y/o's through 14U in travel, before their dumb as* parents believed some "gold" 18U coach who convinced them that their daughters could get a scholarship if she played for them. Uh huh.... OK. But that's a story for a different thread. After my kids had the defensive skill basics down pat, one of the things we worked on hard was getting the out in a rundown. I firmly believe - and taught my kids the same - that once you've got a runner in a rundown, she is OUT! At least she'd better be! And in one throw! We worked on that in almost every practice once I thought they were skilled enough in throwing and catching to do it.

If a rundown took more than two throws, I'd be yelling, "Get her!!!" Based on my firm belief in rundowns being sure outs, the girl who was obstructed in that rundown in TMIB's example was darn lucky the she escaped what should have been an easy out. And once in that rundown that she got lucky to escape from, NO WAY should anyone ever think that she WOULD HAVE gotten to 2B had she not been obstructed.

All of this is based on the OP, as described. None of it necessarily applies to any "what if"s that might follow.

 

[MTR]

Later, my partner says “You had it all right until you put her on first base. She should have gotten second.”

I disagreed with him and explained my rationale.

What do you think?

(I’ll wait for some comments before chiming back in.)

Depends solely on what base YOU believe the runner would have attained had the OBS not occurred. Simply going in a specific direction does not determine the awarded base. Even if you believed the runner should have been retired, s/he cannot be called out between the bases where OBS occurred, so 1st base is not necessarily the wrong award

 

[Bobby Shirer]

Being that she wound up at 1st base, I agree she should stay there. I don't think she gets the next base or the base she would have gotten to if the obstruction hadn't occured. How would you know in that wacky rundown anyway? I always thought that wherever you wound up was where you stayed. The delayed dead ball only protects you between the bases where the obstruction occurs. Right?
What's the rule say?

 

[Comp]

Being that she wound up at 1st base, I agree she should stay there. I don't think she gets the next base or the base she would have gotten to if the obstruction hadn't occured. How would you know in that wacky rundown anyway? I always thought that wherever you wound up was where you stayed. The delayed dead ball only protects you between the bases where the obstruction occurs. Right?
What's the rule say?

The rule says the obstructed runner is awarded the base or bases the umpire judges they would have reached absent the obstruction. It makes no difference which direction the runner was headed or how many throws or changes of direction were made during the rundown. The obstruction that occurred while she was headed toward second may have very well denied her from safely reaching 2nd base before there were 4 or 5 more throws. If the umpire judges she would have safely reached 2nd absent that obstruction then the award should be 2nd. It all depends on the umpires judgement.

 

[WVSteven]

Of course Comp and MTR covered it well. If R1 would have reached 2nd base when she was obstructed then the appropriate award would be 2nd base. If the umpire believes that she would not have reached 2nd then she goes back to 1st.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Guys, I am impressed ... or disappointed.

Nobody wants to make the argument for second base? I had three umpires in the “locker room” (air quotes, of course) adamant that she should get “the base she was headed to during the obstruction.”

No coaches or parents here want to plead that case?

Surprisingly, the offense did not try to make the argument for second base either. Not sure if the coaches were up to speed on the rule or if they were just satisfied that she wasn’t out. I really expected them to come out and try to get second base out of it.

Anyway ... You all nailed it. Obstruction (in USA Softball) is NOT an award of bases. It is protection from being called out between the bases where the obstruction occurred. The umpire then has the discretion to place the runner.

To me, since she was dancing and juking to draw the throw, I think the only way she would have made it to second is with an errant throw. Since she was obstructed though, she now could not be called out between first and second base (on that play of course).

Now, had she flat out broke for second on a steal attempt, I would view it differently.

 

[Chris8]

No coaches or parents here want to plead that case?

Sometimes...we coaches and parents....actually know the rules

And sometimes not....OT.....but funny moment from our State tournament this weekend. We were handily beating a team. USA softball Run rule 15,12,8. We're up by 13 in third....end of inning parent starts hollering "game over, game over" HPU is looking around and see's parent, looks towards me, back to parent. I'm thinking "Crap-be quiet-game isn' t over yet" Before I can walk to backstop My DW, who is extremely quiet at games, walks over and says...."know the rules game isn't over yet".

Parent sits down and is quiet the rest of the game. HPU looks at me as next inning starts and I walk by he says...".thank that parent that knew the rules and straightened out the one who didn't." Funny thing is my DW doesn't know most of the rules...but she knows myself and our coaching staff do.

 

[ArmWhip]

It seems to me like once the rundown started the only way she was getting out of it, to either 2nd base or back to 1st, was on an errant throw or dropped catch, so I don't understand the reason for putting her at 1st.