OBS? INT?

[yawetag]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLPxHF-FzuQ

Ignore the slow motion and commentary (in Spanish). Do you have anything on this play? Obstruction? Interference?

[Guest]

"That's nothing"

[Pops]

7.09 j (Comment) in OBR covers this one.

[jnazz]

Jim Evans Diamond Challenge Pg. 93.

Situation: The batter chops a ball down the first base line. The catcher starts for the ball as the batter is leaving the batter's box. The batter collides with the catcher from behind. Is the catcher guilty of obstructing the runner.... or.... is the batter guilty of interfering with the catcher?

Ruling: 7.09j When the catcher is in the act of fielding a batted ball and a serious collision occurs form behind, the batter is out for interference

[JaxRolo]

I have to go with nothing

[Fittske24]

So am I the only one that sees the catcher throw the runner to the ground? I don't know if I can call a shove like that "Incidental contact"....

[blueman]

So am I the only one that sees the catcher throw the runner to the ground? I don't know if I can call a shove like that "Incidental contact"....

I agree. If F2 and the BR collide, bounce off of each other and go their separate ways then it is nothing. However, when F2 uses his hands to push the BR out of the way I've got obstruction. If the BR had pushed F2 then I've got interference.

[yawetag]

So am I the only one that sees the catcher throw the runner to the ground? I don't know if I can call a shove like that "Incidental contact"....

This was my thought and why I posted it. I can't tell if F2 pushes him or his arm just appears to do it because of the angle of the camera. I agree that any incidental contact (legs getting tangled or bumping) is nothing, but if F2 physically pushed BR out of the way, I'm getting OBS.

[mstaylor]

I agree with blueman, initially I thought it's nothing but then I thought that I have a type A obstruction for the push by the catcher. If you do indeed call the obstruction then you have to kill it right away and place the BR at first.

[JaxRolo]

So am I the only one that sees the catcher throw the runner to the ground? I don't know if I can call a shove like that "Incidental contact"....

You are correct. I missed the shove the first time I watched the video.

[Mr Umpire]

I agree with OBS. Once F2 deliberately altered BR's path, he committed OBS.

[Pops]

Whenever you watch slow motion replays on tv, you see a lot more detail and have a lot of time to assess the action. But if I was behind the plate and this was happening real time, I bet my call would have been a train wreck and left it at that.

With regards to the shove, I know his arms came out, but that's a natural reaction to someone who is about to run into something or somebody. Try to walk into the wall without bringing your arms up.

Yes, it looks like a push, and if it is, I call obstruction. But you had to be there to react to the play without the assistance of the slow motion replay.

[Thunderheads]

I agree with blueman, initially I thought it's nothing but then I thought that I have a type A obstruction for the push by the catcher. If you do indeed call the obstruction then you have to kill it right away and place the BR at first.

Mike, why kill it, ...why can't you let it play out, delayed, then call it or let it go? (not being difficult, ...honest question) ;)

[yawetag]

Mike, why kill it, ...why can't you let it play out, delayed, then call it or let it go? (not being difficult, ...honest question)

I'm not Mike, but you can deal with it.

Type A OBS occurs when a play is being made on a runner OR on the batter-runner before he reaches 1B. Type A requires immediate dead ball with the appropriate awards.

If this were a Fed game, it's always a delayed dead ball.

[mstaylor]

Pops, I agree 100% that in real time it may not look like a shove and then it would be nothing. If you see the shove then it's type A obstruction..

[Thunderheads]

Mike, why kill it, ...why can't you let it play out, delayed, then call it or let it go? (not being difficult, ...honest question)

I'm not Mike, but you can deal with it.

Type A OBS occurs when a play is being made on a runner OR on the batter-runner before he reaches 1B. Type A requires immediate dead ball with the appropriate awards.

If this were a Fed game, it's always a delayed dead ball.

Sure, I dont' care who answers Andrew!

OK, fair enough, I knew I'd get a rules set reference, thanks. BUT....if there were runners on base, ...who's to say where F2 was making the play? He pushed the BR before he got the ball, yes?

Does this question make sense?

[yawetag]

Sure, I dont' care who answers Andrew!

OK, fair enough, I knew I'd get a rules set reference, thanks. BUT....if there were runners on base, ...who's to say where F2 was making the play? He pushed the BR before he got the ball, yes?

Does this question make sense?

The question makes sense, but doesn't matter. OBR specifically states that if the BR is OBS before reaching 1B, it's an immediate dead ball.

[mstaylor]

It's a great question and Andrew is correct which is why I said type A obstruction. Type A obstruction requires an immediate dead ball and the BR awarded first. It is the same as interference, you have to kill it right away. Andrew makes a good point about in Fed it would be delayed dead.

[Mr Umpire]

I agree with blueman, initially I thought it's nothing but then I thought that I have a type A obstruction for the push by the catcher. If you do indeed call the obstruction then you have to kill it right away and place the BR at first.

Mike, why kill it, ...why can't you let it play out, delayed, then call it or let it go? (not being difficult, ...honest question)

B/c it is a Type A OBS. That is an automatic dead ball and no letting it play out. If you wait until the ball is thrown to F3 and they get him out, then calling Time appears a little late. If all of it happens and you call nothing with the ball going in RF, the defense is going to be all over you. When it occurs, PU has to signal by pointing at the offender, say "That's OBS" and send BR to 1B. If he is going to call nothing, then he signals the safe call and say "That's nothing" to let everyone know he saw it but it was no infraction.

So, calling it or letting the play go has to be signaled immediately.

[Thunderheads]

thanks guys, ...somehow I knew I'd get good explanations! :)

[UmpTTS43]

If the ball is in flight, you simply call the OBS. If the ball is caught for an out. you ignore the OBS. If the ball hits the ground or it is unable to be caught legally for an out you kill it and award BR first. This is one of two instances where type A OBS is not immediately dead.

[yawetag]

If the ball is in flight, you simply call the OBS. If the ball is caught for an out. you ignore the OBS. If the ball hits the ground or it is unable to be caught legally for an out you kill it and award BR first. This is one of two instances where type A OBS is not immediately dead.

Show Your Work.

[mstaylor]

Anytime the ball is caught, there can't be obstruction. If the BR is obstructed before first but the ball is in the outfield then it won't be type A.

[yawetag]

Anytime the ball is caught, there can't be obstruction. If the BR is obstructed before first but the ball is in the outfield then it won't be type A.

I'm confused. How can there not be OBS if the ball is caught? OBR only states that in Type A, throws are to be completed before awarding, in case the ball is thrown wild or OOP, thereby changing the awarded bases. Other than that, the ball is immediately dead.

[mstaylor]

What is obstruction? It is an act that hinders a runner, how can you hinder someone that just popped out.