Bullbuck
Member
My catcher was called for obstruction at home plate on what I think was a misapplication of the rule.
Runner on second and ball hit to outfield, left-center I think. The catcher positions herself adjacent to the plate, but directly in between home and third. I acknowledge that is incorrect.
The ball was thrown as the runner was somewhere between third and home and the throw was such that it would have moved the catcher into the base path if she wasn't already there. The catcher caught the ball in the originally improper position and tagged the base runner before she touched home. The obstruction call by the umpire, however, resulted in the runner being safe.
The umpire's explanation was the by setting up incorrectly initially, the catcher's position was tainted and by definition impeded the runner. My argument to the umpire was that, even though the catcher may have lined up incorrectly, the throw a foot or two up the baseline "cured" any impropriety in her initial positioning. In other words, by having to be in the initially incorrect position to field the thrown ball, she became entitled to possess that spot by the throw. Also, the runner was in no way impeded by where the catcher originally positioned herself and the throw beat the runner to the spot.
If she set up in the correct position and then went into the baseline with the throw, that would be proper. The question is, did her "pre-positioning" herself in that spot, which didn't cause the runner to slow down, create obstruction?
Thanks.
David Wolfe
Poland Pride 12U
Runner on second and ball hit to outfield, left-center I think. The catcher positions herself adjacent to the plate, but directly in between home and third. I acknowledge that is incorrect.
The ball was thrown as the runner was somewhere between third and home and the throw was such that it would have moved the catcher into the base path if she wasn't already there. The catcher caught the ball in the originally improper position and tagged the base runner before she touched home. The obstruction call by the umpire, however, resulted in the runner being safe.
The umpire's explanation was the by setting up incorrectly initially, the catcher's position was tainted and by definition impeded the runner. My argument to the umpire was that, even though the catcher may have lined up incorrectly, the throw a foot or two up the baseline "cured" any impropriety in her initial positioning. In other words, by having to be in the initially incorrect position to field the thrown ball, she became entitled to possess that spot by the throw. Also, the runner was in no way impeded by where the catcher originally positioned herself and the throw beat the runner to the spot.
If she set up in the correct position and then went into the baseline with the throw, that would be proper. The question is, did her "pre-positioning" herself in that spot, which didn't cause the runner to slow down, create obstruction?
Thanks.
David Wolfe
Poland Pride 12U