Blocking a bag

[Tksjewelry]

In a Fed tournament , I had a F4 straddling the bag with one foot covering the runners side and one foot in the outfield side. Pick off attempt and the runner is back with his hand on F4's foot. I called obstruction and the runner safe. Was that correct? If I remember correctly, isn't straddling the bag at all considered obstructing the bag in Fed? I'd like to make sure I have this correct before I resume games tonight or tomorrow. 

My Fed book is out on loan to a rookie for the weekend (right when I need it). 

 

[noumpere]

If the *entire* side of the base was blocked (before F4 caught the ball), then you were right to call OBS.  But, if a portion was available, then this should not be OBS. 

If it was OBS (as you ruled), the runner should have been awarded third.

Edited June 15, 2015 by noumpere

[grayhawk]

8.3.2 SITUATION L:

R1 is advancing on the pitch and F6 drops to a knee while taking the throw, partially blocking the inside edge of the base. R1 slides to the inside edge of the base, contacts F6's knee, and is then tagged out. The head coach of Team F argues this should be called obstruction.

RULING: This is not obstruction as F6 did provide access to part of second base, even though it was not the part of the base that R1 wanted or believed was most advantageous.

[Rich Ives]

The FEDs are idiots.

[scrounge]

The FEDs are idiots.

​Why? I have no problem with this interpretation.

[Tksjewelry]

F4 was a BIG kid and that's position over the bag was where he stayed with a runner on and pitcher on the rubber. This was a dirty game, lots of BS going on behind my back while I was in C (with a rookie behind the plate), to the point where I moved to B to keep an eye on F4 and F6 and I called for the TD to sit in the stands. 

I more than likely got this whole thing wrong as there may have been "some" base to get to. 

[conbo61]

F4 was a BIG kid and that's position over the bag was where he stayed with a runner on and pitcher on the rubber. This was a dirty game, lots of BS going on behind my back while I was in C (with a rookie behind the plate), to the point where I moved to B to keep an eye on F4 and F6 and I called for the TD to sit in the stands. 

I more than likely got this whole thing wrong as there may have been "some" base to get to. 

​I had a similar situation in a JV game two years ago.  Base runner (OT F6) and DT F6 were jawing back and forth.  I called time and quietly told them both to knock it off or they were done.

At the end of the half inning I called my partner and the two coaches to the third base line and explained the situation.  Told them that the next knuckle head that opens his mouth I am tossing the first player I see from each team.  I did this so if the two young men did not heed my advice, the coaches would not be caught by surprise.  I also saw it as an opportunity for the coaches to calibrate their players.

YMMV

BTW- to echo the previous points, if there was any edge of the bag available, it would not be OBS.  I have seen first baseman drop so that their entire lower leg was blocking the edge of the base. That I did bang for OBS.  But if there was a corner, play on.

Edited June 15, 2015 by conbo61

[Tksjewelry]

​I had a similar situation in a JV game two years ago.  Base runner (OT F6) and DT F6 were jawing back and forth.  I called time and quietly told them both to knock it off or they were done.

At the end of the half inning I called my partner and the two coaches to the third base line and explained the situation.  Told them that the next knuckle head that opens his mouth I am tossing the first player I see from each team.  I did this so if the two young men did not heed my advice, the coaches would not be caught by surprise.  I also saw it as an opportunity for the coaches to calibrate their players.

YMMV

BTW- to echo the previous points, if there was any edge of the bag available, it would not be OBS.  I have seen first baseman drop so that their entire lower leg was blocking the edge of the base. That I did bang for OBS.  But if there was a corner, play on.

​That's what I did also, called the coaches in with the TD and told them both that if I saw anything even bordering on unsportsmanlike conduct I start tossing players and coaches and if I heard any more threats to players from the stands I'd clear them. All ejections would be carried on throughout the course of the tournament, including the fans. Game came back under control, luckily. My poor kid rookie partner was completely turned off of the rest of this tournament because of this game. It would have been a tough game for a seasoned vet let alone a 16yo rookie. 

[Rich Ives]

​Why? I have no problem with this interpretation.

​What is enough access? Can I change where I'm blocking when I see the runner start in? The runner has you beaten and there's a late throw so you can just hold him off until the ball gets there? 

You can either block if fielding (OBR & NCAA - mostly) or you can't (NCAA on a pickoff).  What's with this "close enough" BS?  KISS. Make it one or the other.

[scrounge]

​What is enough access? Can I change where I'm blocking when I see the runner start in? The runner has you beaten and there's a late throw so you can just hold him off until the ball gets there? 

You can either block if fielding (OBR & NCAA - mostly) or you can't (NCAA on a pickoff).  What's with this "close enough" BS?  KISS. Make it one or the other.

​Enough access is in the judgment of the umpire, just like all obstruction/interference/nothing calls are. The first hypothetical - a fielder changing location - is pretty far fetched to think they'd act that fast and have the ability to not only recognize which part of the base the runner would like but actively be able to act on that knowledge. The second hypothetical has nothing to do with blocking only a part of the base and is completely irrelevant.

It seems simple enough to me...does the fielder have the ball yet? Was the entire base blocked?

[ricka56]

​What is enough access? Can I change where I'm blocking when I see the runner start in? The runner has you beaten and there's a late throw so you can just hold him off until the ball gets there? 

You can either block if fielding (OBR & NCAA - mostly) or you can't (NCAA on a pickoff).  What's with this "close enough" BS?  KISS. Make it one or the other.

​The rule is clear, what isn't is its application. There is another thread where a poster interprets Fed rule as it is not access denial if the runner can get to the back side of the base/plate.

And I don't like that CB play given above either. If a throw takes the defender to where he's "partially blocking the inside edge of the base" then that's OK. But if he's "partially blocking the inside edge of the base" for no good reason then I'd be inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to the runner, not the fielder, and say he denied access (fully).

It is still a judgment call. If you know the rule, you can use it to justify the call either way.

[NorthTexasUmp]

Based on how I envision the play, I probably don't have OBS. Very difficult to block the whole base with just a foot. That being said, since you did call OBS, was the runner awarded third base?

[conbo61]

​Enough access is in the judgment of the umpire, just like all obstruction/interference/nothing calls are. The first hypothetical - a fielder changing location - is pretty far fetched to think they'd act that fast and have the ability to not only recognize which part of the base the runner would like but actively be able to act on that knowledge. The second hypothetical has nothing to do with blocking only a part of the base and is completely irrelevant.

It seems simple enough to me...does the fielder have the ball yet? Was the entire base blocked?

Sometimes you just have to umpire...