maven

As a general principle, this is incorrect. Baseball is a game of defense, and in general we should respect that. But I'm sure you meant this in the context of OBS, in which case, I agree. A better general formulation for your consideration: "the umpire should err on the side of the offended team." This will apply to OBS, INT, MC, and other infractions. Though old schoolers will insist that we be perfect, and not err at all, ever.

Once again, it comes down to the most effective way to communicate our ruling. The tricky part is that R1 is neither out nor safe on the play, he's safe at 3B due to the award (protected). The players (F5, R1) have every reason to think that R1 is out, so to prevent a circus we need at least to verbalize something to indicate that it's not so. "Safe on the obstruction," or the like could serve, but that's a lot of syllables (harder to process, harder to hear in the heat of the moment). I wish I had a better suggestion. We don't want "stay here," because if the defense did misplay on the BR at 2B (or back into 1B), R1 should have an unhindered opportunity to advance (and we just told him to stay there). We can't properly award HP on the OBS, so that won't end well. The good news is that it will be a rare F5 who can process this fast enough and read a possible play on BR at 2B. Unless the runners are vastly different in speed, BR should be sliding into 2B within 1–2 seconds of R1 arriving at 3B. So IRL (HS varsity and below) the need for any mechanic at 3B will be ameliorated by the play ending moments later. We can kill it and make the award per FED's rule.

Not sure if the title question is live or just clickbait, and I haven't worked that sport in a few years, but in case it's a real question: For NFHS (which is what Ohio uses) this is a flagrant intentional foul and an immediate disqualification. The fouled player (or a sub) will get 2 free throws, and the offended team will get the ball back (throw in) out of bounds nearest the spot of the foul. The fouling player is disqualified and must watch the remainder of the game from the bench.

I agree. The rule aims to protect middle infielders from runners, but not from themselves. If they position themselves in front of the base, they're in the flight path. A legal slide that contacts a fielder in front of the base is nothing. The case play confuses its own point with "slides late." That might not be an illegal slide (conforms to that part of FPSR) but could yet be INT. I gather the point of the case is to illustrate a situation where contact by a sliding runner is NOT a FPSR violation—it might have been clearer to describe an ordinary legal slide that contacts F4 in front of the base, rather than something that might be (otherwise) illegal.

That doesn't always stop F1. It's worth knowing how to handle it for cases where it doesn't stop him. Or when we don't process it fast enough. In general, I don't like the idea of trying to get around proper enforcement of the live-ball balk by inserting a "time" call where one wouldn't naturally go. If the dead-ball balk is going away, let it go. JMO. As for pitch/throw: a pitch is one kind of throw (and J/R knows that). A rule that references 'throws' without qualification could reasonably be interpreted as including pitches, especially in this particular context.

How could I possibly be aware of that, not having watched the video or reading the first page of posts in this thread? C'mon Rich, be reasonable!!

I'd put it more strongly still. On a BB (with no other runners) there's no play. Without a play, there's nothing to hinder. Without the possibility of hindrance, there's no possibility of INT. I don't see that code would matter to this question. There are opportunities for MC, UNS, and other infractions, depending on the code. OBS is possible, of course, because we have a runner advancing legally on the award, but it would have to be some sort of grabbing or tripping.

I'm guessing that you mean the area that is out of play behind center field? In that case, of course—all that's prohibited is using the video for any purpose during the game.

FED's approach is the obvious result of (1) the acknowledged need to protect both runners and fielders at all levels, pro and amateur, and (2) FED's lack of control over HS fields. FED has no way to make mandate bigger bases, expanded running lanes, or double bases (though they could recommend all of those). They can change an interp with the stroke of a pen.

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We should be able to read that as we move into the infield. If F3 is in the vicinity of the base, then we can adjust to see the action around the base. On a safe extra base hit where F3 has moved to cut off, we can glance to get the touch and go. Good idea to have an idea where F3 is going so he doesn't obstruct US.

Could be that negotiations with the MLBPA are coming up (2025–26), and the billionaires are priming everyone to think that MLB is losing money.

Did you argue that it was a balk, or merely claim (loudly? repeatedly?) that it was? If it was a genuine argument, what were the premises? A balk is an illegal act by a pitcher, and illegal acts are those prohibited by rule. What rule did F1 violate? In fact, no baseball rule dictates the speed at which F1 must step in the "step and then throw/feint" requirement. It does have to be continuous and uninterrupted, but nothing here suggests it failed in those respects. Ugly ≠ illegal

I know exactly how you feel.

I agree that R1 cannot be entitled to 2B until R2 is no longer entitled to it. So that's enough info to answer the OP: 1B is still occupied at TOP, and the batter is out on strikes and may not advance. But what if R1 and R2 are BOTH standing on their advance bases? Then the answer will turn on what F1 has done. The bolded part above does not tell us enough info. In the windup, the time of pitch begins when F1 starts his delivery—usually a rocker step, sometimes just moving the hands. By the time he's moving "toward the plate," we're well into the time of pitch. So, in the revised play, had F1 started his motion prior to both runners reaching their advance bases? If so, then we have R1, R2 at TOP, and 1B is "occupied" for the purposes of the D3K rule; if not, we have R2, R3 at TOP, and 1B is "open" for the purposes of the D3K rule.