MT73

So-- if a forced runner is called out for interference I guess Fed would not consider this to be a force out either. Yes, you are overthinking this. My solution is not to umpire games played with Fed rules.

IMHO it is because someone many moons ago decided that girls were too dainty to deal with certain situations. It is a stupid rule which I do my best to avoid calling.

A force by any means is a force. And if it is the 3rd out no runs are scored. Suppose the runner backed up and was not tagged until R3 crossed the plate. Are you going to score the run. Not that it matters but this has nothing to do with the GHSA situation which was an appeal for a missed base which, had it been properly honored, would have negated the run because it was a force situation. BTW-- if abdonment does not qualify as a force out wouldn't all batter runners fail to advance to first in a two out situation with runners on base?

Well I have coached for years and if you called my runner out because " He made it" we would be having a very interesting conversation.

Also... if a fielder deflects a batted ball and chases/ tries to pick it up he is protected if he is within a step and a reach of the ball.

However if anybody here does USA softball if a batted ball is deflected there is no interference should a runner hinder another fielder going for the ball unless it is intentional. Ditto if the same fielder goes after the ball that he/ she deflected. In other words we would have obstruction.

Now I am confused. Coach asks, "Did he make it" You say, "Yes" Coach asks, "But he is out?" You reply yes... How can he be out if he made it?

Actually my confusion comes from Fed's insistence that a balk is an automatic dead ball. In OBR if the catcher jumps in front of the plate while a runner is trying to score from 3B we have CI/CO which gives the batter first base. However, we also have a balk on the pitcher ( even though he did nothing wrong) which allows the run to score and advances any other runner first base. Now in Fed we cannot have both CO and a balk so there was my confusion. So-- Batter gets first base on the CO and the runner advancing from 3B-who may have been tagged out--is allowed to score. Is that pretty much it?

The runner coming to score was tagged out by the catcher during the Catcher's Obstruction. Are you saying that we award the batter first base and allow the out to stand?

So do we call the runner from 3rd out?

Runner on third steals home. Catcher jumps in front of the plate before ball gets there and tags the runner. In OBR we have a balk and Catcher's interference so the run scores and batter gets 1B But what is the ruling in Federation rules.? My confusion comes from the fact that in Fed a balk is a dead ball so can we have both the balk and, in this case, Catcher's Obstruction? I

Yes this is legal and does not violate the look back rule. As long as it is a continuous motion she can do this. If she stops between 1rst and second she has a few seconds to either advance to second or go back to first. My softball HS association taught us to count to 3 in our head before making the out call.

I work the slot with the outside chest protector. Not a problem.

Update.. I just checked the play clarification on the (old) ASA website for June 2016 and this exact play is listed. Turns out that the runner who was called out for passing is no longer a runner and the runner who she pushed off 3B should have been called out as well. It's probably the same in baseball... Live and learn.

Hit by pitch. Dead ball. Did he swing? Strike and if strike 3 then the batter is out. Was his wrist in the strike zone? Same as above. If not then award 1rst base..

Remember that the proper term is an uncaught 3rd strike as opposed to a dropped 3rd.

Our local league has about 5 of these and I use it quite often. I even bought 2 of my own, one of which is heavy but will probably stop a shotgun blast. I have found that not being afraid of being a ball magnet helps me concentrate on the game without constantly dancing/dodging errant pitches. Not to mention being great when tossed bats come your way. I just finished a low level 10U recreational DH and the only body part of me not protected was my thigh and, you guessed it, that is where I got hit twice. Just remember to tuck in your elbows because if you chicken wing them you will take some shots off the funny bone.

But there are Federation rules. Does OBR and Babe Ruth have similar rules?

Well I do not do pro ball and I have never seen this happen at that lev CJK -- he is in the runners path when the ball is in centerfield. How is this not obstruction? The only way the runner could touch the bag would have been to stop and place his foot between R5's legs.

However-- OBS. R2 is heading to third and will easily score because the ball is in centerfield. F5 straddles the bag, fakes a catch and then proceeds to lay down a tag on the runner who is now sliding into the base. I know that a fake tag is not obstruction in OBR but when I see this--and I have-- I am still calling obstruction by F5 and will send the runner home when all play has ceased. Is anyone going to say that this is not hindering the runner? No, I cannot get him on a fake tag but he sure is heck blocking the base path.

It is a bunt if the ball is tapped as opposed to swung at. A coach once told me what you just posted but I disagreed and called her batter out on the foul with 2 strikes. Then again I am no expert so maybe I was wrong.

Watch for the breaking of the wrists, which is a slap hit.

Hold on . In Fed a balk is a dead ball so the CI --catcher's obstruction in FED--never happened. R2 goes to 3rd and batter is up with the same count as before the balk.

Actually he is out because the bat hit the ball a second time. Hindering a fielder has noting to do with it because if this were true then he would also be out if the ball rolled into the bat as opposed to vice versa.