Obstruction Question

[MT 73]

Today I was the coach of an 18U team and had third base.
Fed rules.
My runner is stealing 3rd and the throw come in close, but gets past F 5.
The ball bounces off the fence and winds up in shallow left field.
I try to send my runner in to score, but F5 is laying on top of her--which lasted for about 3-5 seconds.
I look to the BU for the obstruction arm but see none.
My girl finally scrambles a few steps to the plate but, seeing the ball is coming back to 3B she slides back.
I ask the umpire for an obstruction call, but he says that because she was going back to 3rd that is the only base she can be awarded.
He then says that he would have awarded her the plate had I sent her--I tell him that without an obstruction signal I did not want to take that risk since she would have been out by a mile.
I explain that if it was not for the obstruction my runner would have easily scored and that she should be awarded the plate.
He disagrees and keeps her on 3rd.
What say you all??

 

[Comp]

Well, not to repeat myself from another thread, but..... wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong

 

[MTR]

Today I was the coach of an 18U team and had third base.
Fed rules.
My runner is stealing 3rd and the throw come in close, but gets past F 5.
The ball bounces off the fence and winds up in shallow left field.
I try to send my runner in to score, but F5 is laying on top of her--which lasted for about 3-5 seconds.
I look to the BU for the obstruction arm but see none.
My girl finally scrambles a few steps to the plate but, seeing the ball is coming back to 3B she slides back.
I ask the umpire for an obstruction call, but he says that because she was going back to 3rd that is the only base she can be awarded.
He then says that he would have awarded here the plate had I sent her--I tell him that without an obstruction signal I did not want to take that risk since she would have been out by a mile.
I explain that if it was not for the obstruction my runner would have easily scored in shallow left and that she should be awarded the plate.
He disagrees and keeps her on 3rd.
What say you all??

You need to start playing games with umpires, cause this guy shouldn't be until he starts to learn the softball rules and proper applications

There is no requirement for the player to even attempt to advance to be awarded a base she would have attained safely had the OBS not occurred. This pretender is the typical cause people have a problems with such a simple rule.

 

[Comp]

As I have recently found out, it is next to impossible to get rid of the pretend umpires. Even contacting their association and detailing all the blown calls with rules references seems to make no difference. Not sure the associations care, they just want a warm body on the field.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

With a 2-man crew and OBS occurring after the ball got past 3B, whose call is it? Is the BU supposed to watch the ball or the runner?

 

[Comp]

Either umpire can call obstruction when they see it, and being it was a steal attempt of third I would think both umpires should have had a fairly good look at it.

 

[MT 73]

Thanks.
This is a league in East Harlem which is one step above recreational, although a few of the teams are of semi travel ball quality.
They have some very good umpires, but these two kept blowing call after call in our DH.
One example--two outs and we have runners on first and second.
Our batter strikes out but starts running to first on an uncaught 3rd strike--which causes the BU to shout, "Batters out--batters out!!"
Fortunately the catcher ignored his call and threw our girl out.
The BU then approaches me and informs me that first base was occupied so the batter is not allowed to run.
I inform him that she can with two outs.
He looks a bit dumbfounded and then says, "Well--learn something new everyday."
He then tells me that he did not appreciate my earlier comment to my girls that we are playing against 11 people--9 girls and 2 umpires.
I tell him that I was in my dugout when I said it and it was not directed to him, but since he heard it I would offer an apology.
As it turned out it really did not matter, since we were soundly thrashed in both games.
But bad umpires are a frustrating experience--and I see a lot more of this in softball than in baseball.

 

[Umpireernie]

As I have recently found out, it is next to impossible to get rid of the pretend umpires. Even contacting their association and detailing all the blown calls with rules references seems to make no difference. Not sure the associations care, they just want a warm body on the field.

Often the Association has to choose between less-than-average/inexperienced officials or none at all.

 

[SoCal_Dad]

With a 2-man crew and OBS occurring after the ball got past 3B, whose call is it? Is the BU supposed to watch the ball or the runner?

Either umpire can call obstruction when they see it, and being it was a steal attempt of third I would think both umpires should have had a fairly good look at it.

Understood. I was just exploring whether the OP was looking at the wrong umpire for the call...

 

[MTR]

But bad umpires are a frustrating experience--and I see a lot more of this in softball than in baseball.

There is more to do and watch at a quicker pace in softball. And you would be surprised how many baseball umpires, even in the pros, kick calls and interpretations.