Obstruction?

[SnocatzDad]

Thanks for the responses. The rule makes sense.

I am just trying to figure out the logic behind the other team. F3 would not gain an advantage by blocking the runner from going back to 1st base, because it would be obstruction or interference unless she has the ball. If she has the ball in time, then the runner was probably too far off from the base, and F3 would have easily gotten the runner out, even if F3 was playing on the base.

Maybe they count on runners being too timid, so the runners hesitate a second longer. Maybe they count on Blue not making the obstruction or interference call.
Anyway, as a coach, I need to know what to teach the girls in this situation because we will likely play this team again. We will tell our girls to go straight back to the base on a pickoff attempt. If the defensive player is in the way, they still need to go straight to the base, even if it means making contact with the defense. I don't like teaching the girls to make contact with the defense, but in this case, the other team is forcing the issue. Does this sound right?

DING! DING! DING! we have a winner. Coaches absolutely coach this expecting a tenative return of the baserunner and the no call by the umpire. IF ( and it's a big if ) the umpire actually calls interference the probable result is that the award will be 1B anyway unless they try for 2B and make it without being tagged.

I tell my girls that if it's blatant, there job is to come hard back to the bag and then listen to the 1b coach or try to see for themselves if umpire has his arm out and then go for 2B. Thing is that even if in bumping into F3 you make her miss the throw from F2, F9 is probably able to throw you out at 2B anyway but you should at least try it's a free try.

I don't agree with coaching F3 to do this because you set up collisions between a baserunner wearing a helmet and an F3 without one who is looking the other way and can't protect herself, but I've seen plenty of teams that do it and I can't argue that it isn't effective.

[wadeintothem]

If you think there was obs and you didnt get the call, its your job to have a discussion with the umpire and at least find out what they saw or why they didnt call it.

They may say something that makes it a protestable issue if you know what you are doing.

[GIMNEPIWO]

If you think there was obs and you didnt get the call, its your job to have a discussion with the umpire and at least find out what they saw or why they didnt call it.

They may say something that makes it a protestable issue if you know what you are doing.

Good point Wade ... and that very thing happened tonite in a SP game I was working by myself ... runners on 2nd and 3rd ... BR hits a line drive to straight away center and possibly catchable... I'm watching for the catch, the tag ups ... the ball is not caught and I turn to see the BR falling to the ground about 15 feet from 1st after rounding the bag ... he gets up and retreats to 1st ... then gets to 2nd on the throw to another base ... after the inning he asks me if the 1st baseman can be on the bag like that on a hit to the outfield ... AAHHH! ... I said you think you were obstructed, thats why you were on the ground .. I was wondering what happened ... I told him that no she couldn't, I didn't see it .. and in one man mechanics I can't watch everything but would try to watch for that ... I went over and addressed the situation with the other coach and player and told them if she was on the bag and there wasn't a play, don't be ... But he came to me and asked for clarification ...

[SnocatzDad]

Wade,

Many of the tournaments we play in don't even allow protests to the UIC to keep things moving. Even if they do this is a no win situation for the offense and the defense can do it with impunity. Most of the time you get a non call. If they do call it and stick their arm out 90% of the time F3 is sitting with the ball pressed against the runner and a free try at 2B is pretty worthless.

Yes you should raise a fuss as an OC if a runner is called out coming back into 1B when there is obstruction. The point is the defense can make this play with impunity because there is so little downside and pretty big upside. IMO they should change the rule and the second time it gets called it should be a base award for the offense.

[MTR]

DING! DING! DING! we have a winner. Coaches absolutely coach this expecting a tenative return of the baserunner and the no call by the umpire. IF ( and it's a big if ) the umpire actually calls interference the probable result is that the award will be 1B anyway unless they try for 2B and make it without being tagged.

I would stop now. To start, it isn't interference, it is obstruction. The PROBABLE result is the runner getting the base to which they were entitled and if they try for 2B and are not tag, they are safe anyway, so what's your point?

I tell my girls that if it's blatant, there job is to come hard back to the bag and then listen to the 1b coach or try to see for themselves if umpire has his arm out and then go for 2B. Thing is that even if in bumping into F3 you make her miss the throw from F2, F9 is probably able to throw you out at 2B anyway but you should at least try it's a free try.

That is why coaches get frustrated and pout when they don't get their way. Stop coaching the rules, coach the player and the game. BTW, the next base is NOT free if there was any subsequent play. If there was and the base to which the runner was returning was the extent of protection, leaving that base places the runner in jeopardy even between the bases where they were obstructed.

I don't agree with coaching F3 to do this because you set up collisions between a baserunner wearing a helmet and an F3 without one who is looking the other way and can't protect herself, but I've seen plenty of teams that do it and I can't argue that it isn't effective.

For all the whining I hear about umpires not calling obstruction, all I can say then is that you have some pretty dumb, stupid, ignorant, arrogant (take your pick) umpires. Any umpire who will not call OBS or fails to do so because of personal opinion which may contradict the given instructions is a fool and doing a serious disservice to the teams and profession. Obstruction is right behind the infield fly when it comes to the simplest rules in the book to understand and call. I actually feel sorry for people who have difficulty getting a grasp on this rule as it is about the same level of getting a grasp on how to use a pencil.