Obstruction

[shagpal]

advancing past the base you are protected is ALWAYS at your own risk. no rule guarantees safety past the bases protected. pasted, it is a judgement call. don't expect OBS infractions to be a free pass past the protected bases.

[jc14bar]

For my very 1st post, i hate weighing in on a subject like this, but I felt I could lend assistance.

The runner is eligible to recive the base she would have gained had she not be obstructed. When obstruction is signaled, it is a delayed dead ball call, the play continues and rulings are applyied after the ball has stopped.

In the case above, the runner leaving 1st base headed to 3rd was obstructed by the shortstop. If the umpire signals obstruction and the runner is taged at 3rd prior to reaching the bag, the runner would be called "OUT" then "SAFE" based on the obstruction call.

If said runner is obstruted by the SS, and then continues to home plate and is thrown out, it is now the umpires call to detirmine if said runner would have been safe at home had she not been obstructed.

Notice I never used the word "Awarded". Runners in an obstruction call are not awarded bases. If said runner hits the SS and then returns to 2nd base she would not be awarded 3rd. This is due to it being a dead ball call.

The location of the obstruction and the comments along the lines of between bases are misleading at best. If my runner is at 2nd and on a base hit is trying to score, runs into the shortstop, obstruction is signanled, and she is thrown out at the plate, the obstruction call would override the "OUT" call and she would be safe at home even though the obstruction took place between 2nd and 3rd.

[Comp]

ASA 8-5-B-4 Effect. The obstructed runner and all other runners shall always be awarded the base or bases which would have been reached, in the umpires's judgement, had there been no obstruction.

Notice the rule does in fact include the word awarded.

The rule does not require the runner to attempt to reach the base to be awarded the base. In the situation you have presented, the runner rounds 2nd, runs into the SS and returns to 2nd. If in the umpires judgement the runner would have reached 3rd if not for the obstruction, at the conclusion of the play the runner would be awarded 3rd base. If there was a trailing runner who was held up by the runner being obstructed, that runner would also be awarded any base or bases they would have reached absent the obstruction.

[tcannizzo]

For my very 1st post, . .Notice I never used the word "Awarded". Runners in an obstruction call are not awarded bases. If said runner hits the SS and then returns to 2nd base she would not be awarded 3rd. . .

Sorry Pal, but you are 0 for 1.
OBS R does not have to attempt to advance to the base that the umpire judged would have been reached had there not been OBS. That base will be awarded once the ball becomes dead.

[PDad]

The location of the obstruction and the comments along the lines of between bases are misleading at best.
Not really - that's the only place the runner is assured of being protected.

If my runner is at 2nd and on a base hit is trying to score, runs into the shortstop, obstruction is signanled, and she is thrown out at the plate, the obstruction call would override the "OUT" call and she would be safe at home even though the obstruction took place between 2nd and 3rd.

The "OUT" call would only be overridden IF the umpire judged she would have been safe without the OBS. Otherwise, the "OUT" call stands because she went past the base to which she was protected, 3B.

[ajaywill]

For my very 1st post, i hate weighing in on a subject like this, but I felt I could lend assistance.

The runner is eligible to recive the base she would have gained had she not be obstructed. When obstruction is signaled, it is a delayed dead ball call, the play continues and rulings are applyied after the ball has stopped.

In the case above, the runner leaving 1st base headed to 3rd was obstructed by the shortstop. If the umpire signals obstruction and the runner is taged at 3rd prior to reaching the bag, the runner would be called "OUT" then "SAFE" based on the obstruction call.

The proper call is "DEAD BALL" when the runner is tagged prior to reaching the base she is protected to, then award the bases the runner(s) would have reached without the obstruction.

[jc14bar]

I must say that with over 20 years of coaching everything from U8C to U18 Gold and High School, I have never seen an umpire "Award' a base on an obstruction call. i have had girls called "out" then "safe" based on the obstruction call, but when my girl has returned to the bag after crashing into a fielder I have NEVER been awarded a base.

I stand by my earlier comments. I also stand by the bases she is inbetween are not the only protected bases. The R1 leaving 2nd trying to score on a base hit that is OBS by the SS can be protected to HP if the umpire belives she would have been safe if not for the OBS.

I think it comes down to the one thing that we, as coaches, don't ever want to give into... Umpire's dicrestion.

lol.

[Comp]

JC, all I can say is I suggest you read the rule book a little, or a lot. You can stand by your statement all you like, but that is not the rule.

[PDad]

I must say that with over 20 years of coaching everything from U8C to U18 Gold and High School, I have never seen an umpire "Award' a base on an obstruction call. i have had girls called "out" then "safe" based on the obstruction call,
Your experiences, or lack thereof, do not constitute proof of what is correct.

but when my girl has returned to the bag after crashing into a fielder I have NEVER been awarded a base.
Evidently the umpire judged your girl wouldn't have reached the next base without OBS. Bases are only awarded in softball as restitution to the offense, not as punishment to the defense.

I stand by my earlier comments. I also stand by the bases she is inbetween are not the only protected bases.
No one said they are the only protected bases - they are the only ones you KNOW they are protected while the ball is live. Knowing whether they are protected beyond that requires reading the umpire's mind on whether they are going to extend protection beyond that.

The R1 leaving 2nd trying to score on a base hit that is OBS by the SS can be protected to HP if the umpire belives she would have been safe if not for the OBS.
You should have put it that way the first time instead of posting they would be protected unconditionally.

I think it comes down to the one thing that we, as coaches, don't ever want to give into... Umpire's dicrestion. LOL

Welcome to the 'bucket!

[Sam]

Sounds more like you want a free pass to just run the players until the defense stops him/her with no jeopardy of being put out.

A coach should coach the play that is in front of him/her, not assume s/he knows what the umpire things. If as the play is developing you WOULDN'T send the runner, don't. If the coach does that, there is minimal chance of running into an unnecessary out.

I don't know if Manny wants a free pass....I think he just doesn't want the defense to have a no risk situation by purposely engaging in OBS. Some umpires don't want to justify awarding bases in an OBS situation. In reality, a coach MUST risk an out in a situation where the runner always scores in order to have the base awarded in OBS. The defense is therefore incentivized to engage in OBS.

I don't know if there is an answer. I know the umpires are doing their best and the coaches are trying to do theirs. It might help if the umpires would point their fists toward the awarded/protected base to let everyone on the field know where the runner will end up or if the rule were changed to require an immediate dead ball and give the runner an automatic 1+1 base and additional bases if the umpire judges that the runner would have attained more. That woul penalize the defense and disincentiveize OBS.