Team Wins State Championship on Walk-Off Obstruction Call; Oregon City Throws No-Hitter But Loses

[CoachJD]

PS -- absolutely the correct call. The only thing I would add is that U1 should have killed the play, not called the out. I am assuming he did not know about the obstruction call though. The PU who made the call was turned to where U1 couldn't see the arm. I would advise PU to make that call bigger and louder, and turn to the plate so U1 has a better chance of knowing it.

This is all just a thought exercise because the run scoring ends the game, but what if this wasn't a game-ending play? If U1 kills the play after calling her out -- I assume proper mechanic is to call the out, then kill the play, then defer to PU for the runner placement since that's who called obstruction -- what would you do with the batter-runner? She was on her way to second, so do you award her second? Make her go back to first? Is there a rule or umpire judgment?

Also, moot point, but the batter-runner was very obviously obstructed, too, and that was missed. Probably a good thing they got the first one right.

 

[Comp]

The verbal call of obstruction is not supposed to be loud enough for everyone to hear like a dead ball call. Its not intended to cause any change in play behavior like a dead ball call, its only supposed to be loud enough for players in the general area to hear.

The play at 2nd never happened because the play was dead as soon as the obstructed runner was put out. At the conclusion of play, the obstructed runner and all other runners affected by the obstruction are placed where the umpires determine they would have reached absent the obstruction. The batter/runner would either be placed at 2nd or back at first depending on what the umpires judge the base to be.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Thank you for adding that @Comp , I forgot to include that distinction on the volume of the verbal call.

The mechanic for U1 will depend on whose clinic he went to. In the past, I had been taught: call the out, call "time!", announce the obstruction, call safe, make the awards. At this year's NFHS/USA clinic they said they don't want us calling the out, they want us immediately calling time.

Personally, I like the out call (but not a big sell as U1 did in the video -- again, another reason I don't think he was aware of the obstruction) as it shows that we saw the play but now we have something to fix. I don't like the optics of going to an immediate "time" as I feel it looks indecisive.

Note: baseball codes do NOT kill it immediately when an obstructed runner is tagged out. Baseball allows the play to play out to its natural conclusion. The batter-runner in softball would be placed where the umpires judge she would have reached, but in baseball would have still been out on the play.

 

[Gags]

Where was the BR obstructed? The ball deflected of the 1B, but it looked like it stayed a few feet behind the runner.

Also almost looks like the runner never touched home on the slide. (Even though it doesn’t matter with the base award)


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[ORBlue]

Where was the BR obstructed? The ball deflected of the 1B, but it looked like it stayed a few feet behind the runner.

Also almost looks like the runner never touched home on the slide. (Even though it doesn’t matter with the base award)


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Gags,

Obstruction was called at third base with the 3rd base player obstructing R1 (Runner 1) as she rounded third base.

BR - Batter Runner was not obstructed during the play at 1st base or at 2nd base.

So, I'm not sure if that is what you were asking where the obstruction took place. I also assume that your "BR" meant 'batter runner' not 'base runner.'

And if R1 touched home plate...video angle with the dust in the air...can't make a call from that video. You had to be the umpire with his angle...great set up location for the umpire to make that call!

 

[The Man In Blue]

A comment was made that there was an obstruction at 1B ... I don't see anything.

As for not touching home on a base award ... Yes, you still have to touch (and retouch on a tag up) bases on base awards. Failing to do so leaves you open to being called out on appeal.