Obstruction or no Obstuction?

[digo21]

Ok I had a situation. Im not the best at this but ill do my best. There is a runner on second, Batter hits the ball to shortstop. The shortstop fumbles with the ball and then throws over to first. First basemen is on top of the base and in the baseline. The ball is about five feet from the first basemen's glove, when BR slows down. I call obstruction, gave the kid first and made R2 stay on third because in my opinion he would not of made it home. Although the ball is in the first basemen's surrounding area there was no reason for him to be in the baseline. The ball was coming from the SS and did not force him to be in the baseline he was there on his own free will. Did I get the call right? This is little league rules BTW.

[mstaylor]

Good question. LL requires the fielder to have the ball to be in the baseline but they did make an interp that is the throw takes him there then he is OK. Thhis is going to be a HTBT. I would side on no obstruction but without seeing it I can't say definitively.

[umpire148]

I agree with taylor....

have to see it to make the call....

[catoblue]

Yep, unless the throw took F3 into the baseline, it's OBS.

[ump81]

Gentlemen, can not have obstruction with a first baseman fileding the ball in the vicinity of the bag making a catch, particularly as you say he had feet on the bag! Fielder is protected on his first play every time as long as he is making a play on the ball. If there had been a collision I still have nothing both are doing what they are supposed to do and the area of the bag is not part of the 3 foot running lane. I say each has a right to first at that instant and never penalize the defense for an honest attempt at an out. Besides outs are better than safe! especially safes we think up because of a rules call. Its not so much a rules question as a game management and philosophy of the game situation. Im going by OBR, NFHS and NCAA I'm not aware of any special horrible LL rule on this, but leave it to LL to mess up the rules and corrupt the philosphy of the game. Get the outs we are given! my take. ump81

[mstaylor]

81:

I reread the OP and from the way I read it it could be obstruction, especially in LL. The throw didn't pull the F3 to be in the baseline, he went there to get the ball to be thrown to him.

[willv28]

Yeah, definitely a HTBT situation. I would say it could be OBS. The question is did he slow down because his progress was being impeded or was he being blocked off from the base? If he was being blocked off from the base then yes it is OBS. If there were to of been a collision before F3 has the ball I do have OBS in that case as well.

LL is pretty clear that ANY act of impeding the progress of the runner is OBS.

[noumpere]

Im going by OBR, NFHS

Even if the throw takes F3 into the baseline, it could be obstruction under NFHS rules, if the act denies the BR complete access to the base.

Yes, I agree it's a poor rule. But, that is how they want it enforced.

[mstaylor]

I missed the part about him being on the base. I was reading as he stepped up the line on the home side. Being on the base is going to be an awful tough call.