Obstruction

[Bumps]

Is OBS an automatic award?

HS scrimmage. Runners at 1st (R1) and 2nd (R2) 1 out. Deep fly ball to LF, F8 tracks ball and makes catch, runners had taken off on contact. R1 crossed 2B, upon catch retreats, touches 2B, but has collision with F4. Makes it back to 1B safely. R2 also returns to 2B safely.

Are the base runners awarded a base even though they were safe in retreating to the bases the came from?

[johnnyg08]

Yes, OBS is an automatic reward in FED.  

 

Very, very common myth that if they "make it back" you can ignore the OBS.

 

Not true in FED.

 

FED mechanics is that you treat it like type two, but enforce it like type 1.

[Jocko]

In fed, obs retreating back to the bag results in award of the next base b eyond that wchich was previously aquired. In laymans terms, if he's obstructed going back to 1B, he is automatically awarded 2B.

[cbiesecker]

Yes, OBS is an automatic reward in FED.  

 

Very, very common myth that if they "make it back" you can ignore the OBS.

 

Not true in FED.

 

FED mechanics is that you treat it like type two, but enforce it like type 1.

 

Questions about where to place the runners for OBR.

 

In OBR - R1 remains at 1B and R2 remains at 2B?

 

In FED - R1 is awarded 2B and R2 moves to 3B.  In the event the R1 failed to make it safely back to 1B because of the OBS, would he still need to retouch 1B before moving to 2B or risk being out on appeal?

[UmpJM]

cb,

 

It is "likely" in OBR that the runners would remain at their TOP bases (since no "mandatory minimum" award for Type B OBS), but it's at least possible that they would be awarded an advance base - if the umpire judged they would have made the advance base absent the obstruction. (Which, I agree is very UNlikely in the sitch presented in the OP.)

 

Yes, the obstructed runner would still be required to go back and physically touch 1B or he would be liable to a retouch appeal for leaving 1B early on the catch.

 

JM