Obstruction?

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Aug 25, 2019
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Sitting here waiting for game to start, just brainstorming scenarios......if a runner on 2nd, ball hit to OF, she rounding 3rd, gets obstructed by 3rd baseman, takes a few steps down line, then returns to Third as throw comes home, does she get home on obstruction, even though she returned to 3rd on her own?
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
Sitting here waiting for game to start, just brainstorming scenarios......if a runner on 2nd, ball hit to OF, she rounding 3rd, gets obstructed by 3rd baseman, takes a few steps down line, then returns to Third as throw comes home, does she get home on obstruction, even though she returned to 3rd on her own?
My point being if runner doesn't attempt to score at the plate, does she get home by obstruction?
 
Jun 22, 2008
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She gets awarded the base she would have reached in the umpires judgement had she not been obstructed. There is no requirement they attempt to advance nor is the obstruction negated because they returned to third on their own. Obstruction is also never an automatic base advance.

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Apr 20, 2015
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She gets awarded the base she would have reached in the umpires judgement had she not been obstructed. There is no requirement they attempt to advance nor is the obstruction negated because they returned to third on their own. Obstruction is also never an automatic base advance.

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I wish umpires interpreted the rule this way. I all the years I have played and watched softball no one has ever given the base if the runner didn't attempt to go. This summer my daughter was on 2nd base. Was flattened by the shortstop on a ball hit to the gap and literally crawled into third base as she stumbled around trying to get up and keep advancing. BR got a double and umpires said they could only give her the base she was going to by rule.

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marriard

Not lost - just no idea where I am
Oct 2, 2011
4,312
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Florida
My point being if runner doesn't attempt to score at the plate, does she get home by obstruction?

Totally up to the umpires judgement. If they believe she would have scored without the obstrucrion, then they would reward home. If not, they will leave her at 3rd. The rules tells the umpire to reward the runner the base they believe they would have obtained.

This is different to baseball where they differentiate between obstruction plays on a player being made (auto one base reward) and one in the bases (same as softball)
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
I wish umpires interpreted the rule this way. I all the years I have played and watched softball no one has ever given the base if the runner didn't attempt to go. This summer my daughter was on 2nd base. Was flattened by the shortstop on a ball hit to the gap and literally crawled into third base as she stumbled around trying to get up and keep advancing. BR got a double and umpires said they could only give her the base she was going to by rule.

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If an umpire tells you that as the reason they cant advance the runner then the word protest needs to be used. It is not an individual interpretation, it is the rule and supported by numerous case plays.

USA 8-5-B-4-effect 1
"The obstructed runner and all other runners SHALL ALWAYS be awarded the base or bases which would have been reached ,in the umpires judgement, had there been no obstruction."

The caps are my emphasis. Nowhere in the rule does it require the runner to attempt anything. A batter runner could get knocked down rounding first base on a ball hit in the gap, injured and have to crawl back to first base. At the end of playing action the umpire could award the runner home if that is where they judge the runner would have reached if not obstructed. Nothing requires the runner to attempt anything.
 
May 29, 2015
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I’m going to go out on a limb and say many umpires understand the rule, but they are very conservative (read: safe) with their judgment.

In the OP, I’d need to see where the ball is, the extent of the obstruction, and how the defense is playing it. As presented, I’m not likely to give a runner home when she gives up and retreats after a few steps. In my view, the way the rule is written it essentially provides a “free play” for the offense; I’m not likely to reward them for not taking it.

I would venture that most umpires want to see it play out so they make a good judgement call. We don’t want to speculate more than we have to.

Admittedly, too many don’t understand the rule as well ...
 
Apr 17, 2019
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Gonna show my ignorance here... I thought that obstruction was 'off' once the runner reached their final destination safely. So in this scenario to get awarded home, the runner would have to have attempted home.... I have no rules set to base this off of.
 
Jun 22, 2008
3,731
113
Gonna show my ignorance here... I thought that obstruction was 'off' once the runner reached their final destination safely. So in this scenario to get awarded home, the runner would have to have attempted home.... I have no rules set to base this off of.

All addressed and rule posted in post #5. No, the runner does not have to attempt anything to be awarded a base, and no the obstruction is not necessarily cancelled just because a runner reached some base. As long as the runner is between the 2 bases where the obstruction occurred and there has been no subsequent play on a different runner obstruction is not cancelled.
 

MTR

Jun 22, 2008
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Gonna show my ignorance here... I thought that obstruction was 'off' once the runner reached their final destination safely. So in this scenario to get awarded home, the runner would have to have attempted home.... I have no rules set to base this off of.

You are correct, the OBS is dropped once that runner reaches the base the umpire believes would have been attained safely had the OBS not occurred.
 
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