I'd like to think I understand it in many scenarios. I understand a fielder without the ball and not making a play on a batted ball cannot hinder runners. It's not obstruction merely to stand in a particular place, the runner must be hindered. Contact is not required though.
The one that still baffles me are close plays at bases. There seems to be no requirement to slide. So say a fielder has the ball waiting at a base, and the runner chooses not to slide. The rules seem to say the fielder is obstructing the runner, yet at the same time there seems to be another rule on the books that says if the runner runs into the fielder, even if they are blocking the base, they are guilty of plowing into the fielder.
How are these types of plays supposed to be called?
The one that still baffles me are close plays at bases. There seems to be no requirement to slide. So say a fielder has the ball waiting at a base, and the runner chooses not to slide. The rules seem to say the fielder is obstructing the runner, yet at the same time there seems to be another rule on the books that says if the runner runs into the fielder, even if they are blocking the base, they are guilty of plowing into the fielder.
How are these types of plays supposed to be called?