Two questions

[MySBUsername]

Sorry if these are elementary... I am just trying to learn...

Rules governing play were to be ASA...

Situation #1. One out and a baserunner on 3rd. Deep fly to centerfield. Runner tags and heads toward home. CF throws into 2nd base who then throws home. Runner beat the throw, but just before the runner had began to slide the home ump signaled obstruction on the catcher. They noted catcher took position 2-3 feet up the line immediately when CF still had the ball and because runner hesitated slightly and then slid around catcher obstruction occurred. In the end, like noted, it had no impact, but I'm curious by how much and when can the catcher block the plate?

Situation #2. No outs and a baserunner on 1st. At the pitch the base runner sprints toward 2nd. Batter swings so hard at pitch they stumble foward after swing and end up in opposite batters box. No contact with ball was made. Catcher didn't make an attempt to throw out runner. Had they attempted to throw could the batter's action been considered an obstruction to the catcher since they crossed in front of them?

Thank you.

[Bretman]

#1) Obstruction requires two elements- a fielder who is not in possession of the ball blocking a base AND for the runner to actually in some way to be impeded. BOTH elements must be present before obstruction is called.

That is the basic interpretation of the rule. As for what your umpires saw and how they judged it, I would have to defer to them.

#2) This could potentially be ruled as interference (not obstruction- one is a violation committed by the offense, the other a violation committed by the defense). But, for it to be interference, the batter would of had to actually interfere with the catcher's attempt to make a play. With no throw being attempted, it doesn't sound like there was any play to be interfered with.

If a throw attempt had been made, and the batter impeded it by being out of the batter's box or leaning across the plate, then the batter would be guilty of interference and would be out. The ball would become dead and the runner would be returned to first base.

[MySBUsername]

Thank you for the response. Very clear and educational.