Obstruction - Yes or No. Let's learn

[default]

Here is a great picture. This is not meant to be a dig on any team or umpire but the picture, and explaination in the threads, can go a long way in helping educate the softball masses. This is a high school game, but we can also talk other santions too.

Is there obstruction? Why? Let's make this a learning experience.

 

[default]

I don't think so. I always thought if the catcher was getting ready to field a throw she could block the plate. Besides, the catcher, has provided a way for the runner to get to the plate.

 

[default]

Yes its obstuction, cant block the plate or any other base without the ball. Since the runner slide, this seems obvious to me its obstruction, if the runner would have tried to run over the catcher then perhaps an Ump might have called interference.

 

[default]

No obstruction. From the still photo, the Baserunner was not forced to alter her established path to the plate by the catcher's positioning (and it appears that her foot is touching the plate so she's safe as well). Great action shot.

 

[default]

I would say obstruction she is not yet in possesion of the ball and is definately impeding the path to the base. It does not matter how close the ball is to the base it is not there yet.

 

[default]

I have my catchers stand in front of the plate and sweep-tag the runner. This picture may or may not be an example of obstruction, but definitely shows how a runner and/or catcher can easily get hurt. Big risk, little reward - the runner was obviously going to be safe...

Also, I have seen an umpire call a runner safe because the baseman was blocking the bag(and the had the ball in hand). This was not a play at home, but a throw back to first.

 

[default]

Good question. I know their not allowed to block the plate without the ball but if your straddling the bag with room for the runner to reach it. Judgement call?

 

[default]

Possibly obstruction. Hard to tell from the picture, but I would ask these questions:

- Did the sliding runner contact the catcher before she reached the plate? Obviously, the catcher does not have possession of the ball at the moment the picture was snapped. If a runner is sliding in a legal manner, in normal attempt to reach the base, and contacts a fielder not in possession of the ball, then that is obstruction.

That one is pretty cut and dried- the fielder either had the ball or she did not and there was either contact or there was not.

- This one's not so cut and dried and involves more umpire judgment.

A runner attempting to score does have the option of remaining on her feet and running straight across the plate. If the catcher's positioning (ie: blocking the plate, without the ball) forced the runner to slide when she otherwise could have reasonably remained on her feet and run straight across the plate, then her path has been altered. That is obstruction.

Even if this is ruled as obstruction, that call might not affect the outcome of the play. If that obstructed runner touched the plate before being tagged, the obstruction is moot. She is still safe and the ball is still live. If she was obstructed, then tagged out before reaching the plate, then the ball is dead and the runner is awarded home.

In high school and ASA softball, it used to be that fielders could legally block the base without the ball, if they were so positioned to catch a throw in their immediate vicinity. That is still the rule in NCAA softball. But about five years ago high school and ASA rules changed this.

If the above picture was from a college game, this definitely would not be obstruction. In most all amateur codes below NCAA, it probably is.

 

[default]

Thanks everyone I learned something today.

 

[default]

Yes its obstuction, cant block the plate or any other base without the ball. Since the runner slide, this seems obvious to me its obstruction, if the runner would have tried to run over the catcher then perhaps an Ump might have called interference.

I would say obstruction she is not yet in possesion of the ball and is definately impeding the path to the base. It does not matter how close the ball is to the base it is not there yet.

Possibly obstruction. Hard to tell from the picture, but I would ask these questions:

- Did the sliding runner contact the catcher before she reached the plate? Obviously, the catcher does not have possession of the ball at the moment the picture was snapped. If a runner is sliding in a legal manner, in normal attempt to reach the base, and contacts a fielder not in possession of the ball, then that is obstruction.

That one is pretty cut and dried- the fielder either had the ball or she did not and there was either contact or there was not.

- This one's not so cut and dried and involves more umpire judgment.

A runner attempting to score does have the option of remaining on her feet and running straight across the plate. If the catcher's positioning (ie: blocking the plate, without the ball) forced the runner to slide when she otherwise could have reasonably remained on her feet and run straight across the plate, then her path has been altered. That is obstruction.

Even if this is ruled as obstruction, that call might not affect the outcome of the play. If that obstructed runner touched the plate before being tagged, the obstruction is moot. She is still safe and the ball is still live. If she was obstructed, then tagged out before reaching the plate, then the ball is dead and the runner is awarded home.

In high school and ASA softball, it used to be that fielders could legally block the base without the ball, if they were so positioned to catch a throw in their immediate vicinity. That is still the rule in NCAA softball. But about five years ago high school and ASA rules changed this.

If the above picture was from a college game, this definitely would not be obstruction. In most all amateur codes below NCAA, it probably is.

Only being there to see from other angles would I say 100%, however seeing the ball three foot in front of the catcher and her legs on either side of the base line tells me she has made the attempt to block WITHOUT position of the ball.

Oh how many times I have seen this NOT called in the summer. . .

 

[default]

Only being there to see from other angles would I say 100%, however seeing the ball three foot in front of the catcher and her legs on either side of the base line tells me she has made the attempt to block WITHOUT position of the ball.

Oh how many times I have seen this NOT called in the summer. . .

I'm with you sister lol, seems some are waiting for something unfortunate to happen before they understand why that rule is in place.

 

[default]

Like Bretman said, the call is moot because the runner is obviously safe...the only thing that can happen is either one turns, dislocates or breaks something

 

[default]

I'm with you sister lol, seems some are waiting for something unfortunate to happen before they understand why that rule is in place.

From an umpire's viewpoint, we can only address an infraction of the rules during a game and when it actually happens.

I have to wonder...if coaches are teaching their players the correct rules, and teaching them the proper positioning on tag plays, and players are following their coach's instructions...would there EVER be obstruction in a game?

If players are continually blocking bases in an illegal manner, were they just never taught correctly in the first place- long before ever stepping onto the field- or are they willfully ignoring their coach's instructions and deciding to play illegally on their own?

If I see it, I will call it. But who bears responsibility for it happening in the first place?

 

[default]

Exactly...as I stated, my catchers position themselves in front of the plate to sweep-tag...although, sometimes in the heat of the moment, they do forget, until I 'remind them'

 

[default]

I say safe.Fastpitchblue we need a call here.

 

[default]

That's one perspective mine is coming from a position of my team is taught properly but the other team is not, my kid slides into a base being blocked and is injured. If umps warn teams or call it kids will stop doing it.

I coached basketball and tried drilling into my forwards head what 3 in the key was, the young refs would not call it for some reason, my team thought I was making that rule up. I had to approach refs before games to make sure and call that on us. I was trying to teach the game but if the call is never made kids won't change.

 

[default]

You say that the "young refs" weren't making the three-second call and by "young" I'll take that as meaning "inexperienced".

Inexperience is probably the biggest factor of why an umpire wouldn't make this call in a softball game. Obstruction and interference are some of the toughest calls you'll ever have to make. They're split-second calls with some tricky ins-and-outs to the actual rules. They're also the kind of calls that will almost always require some explnantion to one of the coaches and will probably have one team or the other ticked off. Inexperienced officials will often shy away from the controversial calls.

Adding to the difficulty are that real, genuine, legitimate obstruction and interference does not happen all that often, so an umpire just starting out doesn't have as many opportunities to make this call- certainly not as many as the routine ball/strike, fair/foul or safe/out calls that happen hundreds of times a season. You might only have to deal with an obstruction call once every dozen or so games.

Realistically, it might be a few seasons before a new umpire has seen this enough and dealt with it enough before he begins to get comfortable with it. You would hope that with enough real game experience the newer umpire will be able to handle these calls with a little more authority and consitency.

I already said this, but I'll say it again: If I see it, I will call it. That may not have always been the case when I first started out, but it certainly is today. It took me awhile to get to that point. With experience came a better grasp of the witten rule and a better understanding of what to watch for.

And I do watch for it! Still, after watching for it and knowing how to call it, I don't really see all that many true cases of obstruction or interference on these sorts of plays.

 

[default]

Bretman has a point. I have always known it as obstruction when the path to the base/plate has player contact made before the ball arrives. If the runner scores there is no need to call obstruction but I seen Warnings given at that point. The famous Pete Rose made some interesting moves at the plate in the 70's that brought that issue to the headlines of Obstruction and Catcher abuse! hint: don't block the plate if you can not make the play.

 

[default]

Actual photo from Barracuda's indoor winter league game:

 

[default]

No by Young, I mean in age lol. They werent paying attention to it. I was mostly using that as an example of why IMO, a kid is blocking the base before the ball gets there even if there is no harm and the kid is safe that an Ump atleast point out to the player or coach that obstruction could have been called.

Again, my DD's is well aware of the rule. But as you probably well know that is not the case for all teams or players.