Obstruction - Yes or No. Let's learn

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Great photo!! That covers obstruction and destruction right there! No matter who you are you know that is going to be painful lol
 
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Might as well ask what was described to me from a recent game. Runner is advancing from third to home, and two fielders (catcher and pitcher, I believe) are in vicinity of home. Throw comes in, contact is made with the runner, blocking her from the plate, but ball is NOT caught. I don't know the exact sequence of ball and runner arriving, but runner and both fielders are now on the ground, and the runner is being blocked from home plate. Neither fielder is in possession of the ball.

Eventually a fielder picks up the ball and tags the runner, who is called out.

On these kind of bang-bang plays, does obstruction come into effect when the defensive player has contacted the runner while not in possession of the ball?
 
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No catch = no possession. To have possession of the ball, it must be securely held in the hand or glove.

Sight unseen, this one sounds like obstruction.
 
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The catcher is actually straddling the plate, the runner was able to slide between her legs and was "safe" at the plate.

The umpire, in talking with him this morning, said that since the runner had already committed to the slide and the catcher still left her a clear path to the plate, that it wasn't obstruction. He also noted that he was watching to see if the catcher was starting to drop a leg to block. If she did, then he would have called obstruction.
 
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I don't think anyone is arguing that the runner is safe and in effect it becomes a mute point as to the scoring. What we are pointing out is the positioning of the catchers feet in regards to the location of the ball. The ball is not in her glove, there for it is blocking the plate.

Let's say the runner was not safe or it was a close call. Would you then be saying it's blocking the plate when only looking at the positioning of the catcher in relation to the location of the ball in mid air. . .

Food for thought
 
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The catcher is actually straddling the plate, the runner was able to slide between her legs and was "safe" at the plate.

The umpire, in talking with him this morning, said that since the runner had already committed to the slide and the catcher still left her a clear path to the plate, that it wasn't obstruction. He also noted that he was watching to see if the catcher was starting to drop a leg to block. If she did, then he would have called obstruction.

William,

That sounds like a fair assessment and explanation from the umpire. As noted in my first post, one of the trickier calls for an umpire to make is to determine if the fielder's position caused the runner to slide, in an effort to avoid illegal contact (in which case she has been impeded or hindered and it is obstruction) or if the slide was part of her natural effort to acheive the base or avoid a tag.

This catcher's positioning puts her at the risk of a possible obstruction call, but it is not automatic. If she were moved one small step to either side (setting up beside the plate) the possibility of an obstruction call is about zero.

Remember, an obstruction call requires TWO elements. A fielder blocking a base without possession of the ball AND for the runner to actually be hindered. Unless you have BOTH there is no obstruction. The umpire you spoke with judged that the runner was not hindered in her effort to acheive the base, so no obstruction was a good call.

Even with no obstruction on the play, with a catcher setting up like that I might say something to the catcher or her coach in private, depending on the age group, level of play or if we had other problems in the game with fielders blocking bases. It would really depend on the circumstances but, if warranted, a small dose of "preventive umpiring" might be in order.

Younger kids, or less-experienced players and coaches, will usually welcome the advice and the "heads up". On the other hand, coaches at higher levels and more-skilled players will often resent an umpire telling them how to play their position. At higher levels you have to have some expectation that the players know what they're doing and know the rules. My tendency there would be to "let them play"- and to still watch for and call obstruction if it happens!
 
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OK, I was taught, and played that fielders should straddle the base if a throw in coming in when a sliding runner coming in to the base. Is this still appropo? Or is current coaching technique to allow the base running the entire base while the fielder stands to one side?
 
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I can't speak for the other Org's but High School.

NFHS 2-36 OBSRTUCTION is the act of the defensive team member that hinders or impedes a batter's attempt to make contact with a pitch ball or that impedes the progress of a runner or batter-runner who is legally running bases, unless the fielder is in possession of the ball or is making a play on a batted ball. The act may be intentional or unintentional, physical or verbal.

NFHS Rule 8-4-3b a fielder not in possession of the ball or not making an initial play on a batted ball, impedes the progress of a runner or batter-runner who is legally running bases, Obstructed runners are still required to touch all bases in proper order, or they could be called out on proper appeal by the defensive team. Should an act of interference occur following any obstruction, enforcement of the interference would have precedence.


FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!
 
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OK, I was taught, and played that fielders should straddle the base if a throw in coming in when a sliding runner coming in to the base. Is this still appropo? Or is current coaching technique to allow the base running the entire base while the fielder stands to one side?

In 2005 for H.S. Softball the NFHS removed seven words in Rules 2-36 and 8-4-3b, the definition no longer includes the phrase "is about to receive a thrown ball." That means a player must already have possession of the ball in order to block a base.


FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!
 
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OK, so, if a fielder is straddling the base, facing the oncoming , sliding runner, in essence, giving the offensive player a clear path to the base, Is that obstruction?
 
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OK, so, if a fielder is straddling the base, facing the oncoming , sliding runner, in essence, giving the offensive player a clear path to the base, Is that obstruction?

Is the fielder in possession of the ball? Was the runner impeded? A fielder that is straddling the base without possession of the ball is definitely asking for an Obstruction to be called upon them. Not saying that it would be called, but it sure would draw the attention of the ump.

FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!
 
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OK, so, if a fielder is straddling the base, facing the oncoming , sliding runner, in essence, giving the offensive player a clear path to the base, Is that obstruction?

I played third base for many years and learned that straddling the base (can be obstruction)...you have a few seconds to unstraddle at the base if the runner chooses to make the turn and continue without a slide, in that case runner trips on defenders leg/foot ending up on the ground. The ball has to be hitting the glove at the time of contact / making a clean play with the ball. At home plate straddling the plate happens alot from many newer catchers that are not watching the runner......the sweep tag is best if the ball is late coming in and the catcher is aware of runners position. Judgement calls on all angles of the positioning of a catcher and runner. This is a good subject but every case can have a twist that changes the umps call. It all comes down in a split second and a game of inches. Great Thread Topic!!

I can not recall what year it was or the team but in a World Series game a runner dove over a catcher blocking the plate as the ball was coming in and was called safe. Bret you might remember that one.
 
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OK, so, if a fielder is straddling the base, facing the oncoming , sliding runner, in essence, giving the offensive player a clear path to the base, Is that obstruction?

You're forgetting the other part of the equation. Obstruction requires TWO things to happen: For the defender to block access to the base without the ball, and; For the advancing runner to actually be hindered or impeded.

A fielder straddling a base- alone and in itself- is not obstruction until such time as the fielder's position actually impedes the runner- that is, causes her to alter her path, slow down, stop or go around the fielder.

Take your example. If it is a close "bang bang" play where the runner would reasonably be expected to slide, and she can execute the slide in the path of her choosing to gain access to the base without contacting the fielder, then "no" the runner has not been obstructed.

On the other hand, if the fielder's position forced the slide, when the runner could have reasonably run straight through the base or would normally not be sliding, or if she had to slow down or alter her path before sliding to avoid contact, then "yes" the runner has been obstructed.

It's a fine line and sometimes a hard distinction to make, But it is the difference between "obstruction" and "a close play".

On the third hand (I'm running out of hands!), if the runner chooses to run through the base (as she can at first and home), or is trying to round the base, or chooses to go in standing up and must slow down to avoid contact, that is also obstruction.

An important point: Even if the fielder is straddling the base, or otherwise blocking it, the runner DOES NOT have the right to steamroll the fielder and knock her into next week! Runners have the obligation to "attempt to avoid contact". If they are forced to make such an attempt by a fielder not in possession of the ball, then that runner has been obstructed.
 
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Always with the jokes :)
So, it is best to have the fielders close to the base when a throw is coming to the base and it appears there will be a tag play. The fielder, if she chooses, should straddle the base only when the ball is on its way to the base.

I can see now where it would be better to have the fielder stationed to the outfield side of the base and make a sweep tag.
 
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Always with the jokes :)
So, it is best to have the fielders close to the base when a throw is coming to the base and it appears there will be a tag play. The fielder, if she chooses, should straddle the base only when the ball is on its way to the base.

I can see now where it would be better to have the fielder stationed to the outfield side of the base and make a sweep tag.

Last year while coaching a game, an unfortunate event took place at second base where the 2nd baseman was blocking the base with possession of the ball. The runner stealing second base went in sliding and slid into the
2nd baseman causing a double compound fracture, breaking the 2nd baseman's leg.


FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!
 
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Ouch. I wonder if is better to give the girls an option when teaching the play. for example, when blocking the base from the runner if you have the ball, this is the danger you face, or just tell them to sweep away, or just hold th bakll in the glove and let them slide into it.
 
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Last year while coaching a game, an unfortunate event took place at second base where the 2nd baseman was blocking the base with possession of the ball. The runner stealing second base went in sliding and slid into the
2nd baseman causing a double compound fracture, breaking the 2nd baseman's leg.


FASTPITCH! Anything else, And you're playing to SLOW!

So, was this obstruction by the 2nd baseman or are we saying you can block any base as long as you have the ball?
 
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Blocking a base when in possession of the ball is 100% legal.

Blocking a base without the ball is obstruction- IF, and only IF, the blocking subsequently impedes the runner. If the runner isn't impeded, then there is no obstruction.

That's it in a nutshell from the rules standpoint. From a coaching or safety standpoint, you might want to rethink how your fielders are positioning themselves to help keep them out of harm's way.
 
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