Obstruction Situation

[bluejerred]

R1, outs and count doesn't matter, batter hits a ball to the outfield.  Runner on 1st tries to leg it out to 3rd but gets caught in a rundown.  BR decides to advance to 2nd while rundown is going on.  Runner in rundown retreats back to second and is obstructed going back to second by the SS just as the runner from first reaches second base.  I called obstruction and sent the runner to third since second was occupied but since I have never seen this or read it in a case study, I thought I would ask the brain trust here what you guys would have done. 

[JaxRolo]

You got it right but wrong reason. Send him to third because it's type A and you award the next base not because the base is occupied.

[BT_Blue]

Exactly. And all codes agree (just performed a little different)

[bluejerred]

Thanks gents!

[BT_Blue]

Just a note. If you are working under OBR, you would kill the play immediately (as the runner being obstructed is being played upon) and advance him. If you are working HS ball, you let the play finish, call time, then advamce.

it has been some time and I really need to freshen up, but I believe NCAA follows with OBR in this case. I could be wrong.

[noumpere]

Just a note. If you are working under OBR, you would kill the play immediately (as the runner being obstructed is being played upon) and advance him. If you are working HS ball, you let the play finish, call time, then advamce.

it has been some time and I really need to freshen up, but I believe NCAA follows with OBR in this case. I could be wrong.

Correct on the NCAA -- and in most other OBS plays as well

[mstaylor]

I believe NCAA is a hybrid between OBR and Fed. They use A and B obstruction, they call it 1 and 2, but everything is delayed dead like Fed. 

[24sdad]

All good answers, and I think BT_Blue and mstaylor touched on it re FED.  In FED all OBS is delayed dead ball and if you call OBS, the obstructed runner is always awarded the next base, however you could protect the runner further than that next base.  Example - R2 and a base hit to left.  As R2 advances toward 3rd he is obstructed by F6.  R2 regains his footing/balance, touches third and advances home where he is thrown out on a very close play.  Even though R2 is automatically awarded the next base (3rd) if you believe F6's OBS prevented R2 from scoring, you can protect R2 all the way to home and allow the run.  By the same rationale, if R2 is half way between third and home when F2 receives the throw and it is obvious R2 would have been out OBS or not, call him out - as you only had R2 (automatically) protected to 3rd.

 

Type "B" OBS in other codes - let it play out and award/protect the obstructed runner to the base you judge he would have reached absent the OBS.  Example - routine base hit to F8.  B/R rounds first at about the same time as F6 receives the throw from F8.  As B/R rounds first, he collides with F3 just past first base as you point and call OBS.  In your judgment there is no way B/R could safely advance to second and had no intention of advancing.  After play relaxes, leave B/R at first, as well as protecting B/R back into first should there be a play on him there due to the OBS.  (if this same sitch occurs in FED, B/R is awarded 2nd - FED has removed your judgment).

 

Also, runners other than the obstructed runner are typically unaffected by the OBS.  Example - R1 and batter gets a base hit to F9.  As R1 rounds second he is obstructed by F6 and eventually thrown out at 3rd.  B/R stayed on first base watching what happened.  In FED and type "B" codes it has already been explained re R1.  B/R is unaffected by OBS on R1 and is left where he is.  Same sitch and F9 bobbles the ball causing B/R to attempt to advance to 2nd.  As B/R nears 2nd, he sees R1 has been knocked down during OBS with F6 and instead of advancing, R1 crawls back to 2nd.  This causes B/R to retreat to first.  In all codes you will probably move R1 to third (automatic in FED) and probably move B/R to second (your judgment in all codes).  I recall this sitch occurring in a MLB game this year or last, and the crew did not move B/R to second.  So remember, it is your judgment as to the placement of non-obstructed runners.