NFHS and ASA Ruling on Blocking the Plate

[fastpitch fool]

We had a situation where the opposing catcher caught the ball, and sat on home plate. She was a big young lady so when she sat down, she covered the entire home plate and our little speedy slapper had no access to home plate.

Are catchers, and fielders too I guess, allowed to sit on the base and home plate if the have the ball, without providing any access to the plate or bag?

Isn't this encouraging collisions, if allowed?

[SnocatzDad]

once the defender has the ball they can block the plate/bag 100% both rule sets

[wadeintothem]

A catcher with the ball can completely block the runner from the plate.

[GIMNEPIWO]

Just curious ... what age group are they teaching the catcher the mechanics of sitting on the dish?

[fastpitch fool]

It was a high school game.

I guess I was under the false impression that ASA made blocking the plate or base illegal. I remember a runner being called safe in one of our games, because our catcher didn't give the runner access to the plate.

[GIMNEPIWO]

It was a high school game.

I guess I was under the false impression that ASA made blocking the plate or base illegal. I remember a runner being called safe in one of our games, because our catcher didn't give the runner access to the plate.

She must have possession of the ball ... in the judgment of the Umpire who made that call,she was probably blocking the plate without possesion of the ball ..

[SnocatzDad]

Our ASA UIC says that when asked he likes to see the catcher about a foot away from the foul line when waiting to receive the ball at home on a play at the plate. That keeps obstruction as a non issue while keeping the catcher in position to block and or tag after receiving the ball.

Straddling the plate or standing in the baseline up towards third "MAY" result in an obstuction call depending on the umpire, how the runner comes in and where exactly the cachter is and when.

At a catcher's clinic they instructed up that the first move after receiving the ball from that position 1 ft inside the baseline is to drop the left leg to block the plate especially when the throw is high. The idea is that once you block the plate you have more time to put the tag on especially if your recieving the ball from the RF side when you don't have vision of where the runner is.

[MTR]

We had a situation where the opposing catcher caught the ball, and sat on home plate. She was a big young lady so when she sat down, she covered the entire home plate and our little speedy slapper had no access to home plate.

Are catchers, and fielders too I guess, allowed to sit on the base and home plate if the have the ball, without providing any access to the plate or bag?

Isn't this encouraging collisions, if allowed?

There is no rule in either which prohibits the defense from blocking any base. The rule is that they cannot obstruct a runner without possession of the ball or in the act of fielding a batted ball.

If a fielder has possession of the ball, they can block anything they please. He who owns the ball, owns the field

[Sam]

It was a high school game.

I guess I was under the false impression that ASA made blocking the plate or base illegal. I remember a runner being called safe in one of our games, because our catcher didn't give the runner access to the plate.

You just teach your runners to slide hard enough to provide them with access to the base.