How many bases? and catcher blocking plate?

[Guest Pat]

Official Baseball Rules

Runner on first, fly ball hit to center. He catches it and throws to first to try and get the runner at first who was stealing on the pitch. Ball goes into dugout as runner retreats to first. Does he get second or third base?

What is the OBR on catcher blocking the plate. Does he have to have possession or does the ball being in flight allow him to block the plate if he's going to catch it? 

[Replacematt]

1. Third. 5.06(b)(4)(G): Each runner including the batter-runner may, without liability to be put out, advance: two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field, a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field), or over or under or through a field fence, or on a slanting part of the screen above the backstop, or remains in the meshes of a wire screen protecting spectators. The ball is dead.

2. A catcher can block home plate if he needs the space to field the throw, per clarification in 6.01(i)(2).

[MooseLoop]

But see the comment to new 6.01(i)(2) to the effect of runner must be actually hindered and catcher doesn't hinder runner if runner would have been out anyway.

 

[noumpere]

Official Baseball Rules

Runner on first, fly ball hit to center. He catches it and throws to first to try and get the runner at first who was stealing on the pitch. Ball goes into dugout as runner retreats to first. Does he get second or third base?

What is the OBR on catcher blocking the plate. Does he have to have possession or does the ball being in flight allow him to block the plate if he's going to catch it? 

​1) This question comes up because too many believe the myth that the award is "the base you are going to, plus one."  Don't believe it.  A ball thrown out of play from other than the pitcher on the rubber, is always two bases (it might be measured from time of throw, or it might be measured from time of pitch, but it's two bases).

2) If I were a smart ass, I'd say that no one knows what this rule is except for a few replay folks in NY.  I am, so I will. 

[Thunderheads]

​1) This question comes up because too many believe the myth that the award is "the base you are going to, plus one."  Don't believe it.  A ball thrown out of play from other than the pitcher on the rubber, is always two bases (it might be measured from time of throw, or it might be measured from time of pitch, but it's two bases).

2) If I were a smart ass, I'd say that no one knows what this rule is except for a few replay folks in NY.  I am, so I will. 

​ 

[Replacematt]

But see the comment to new 6.01(i)(2) to the effect of runner must be actually hindered and catcher doesn't hinder runner if runner would have been out anyway.

 

​Huh? That comment only refers to the catcher not having possession of the ball or being in the act of fielding the ball. The OP asked if the catcher can block, and I gave the situation in which he can do so without the ball.

[umpref19]

The Throw goes into the dugout the runner on first gets 3rd base. The catcher has to have the ball to block home plate Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk

[Thunderheads]

The Throw goes into the dugout the runner on first gets 3rd base. The catcher has to have the ball to block home plate Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk

​Not necessarily in OBR

[umpref19]

I just put up a video in ask the umpire. Check it out and let me know if the catcher had the ball to block the plate Sent from my SM-G925T using Tapatalk

[Thunderheads]

already being discussed in the collegiate section .........

[ZebraStripes]

 

2) If I were a smart ass, I'd say that no one knows what this rule is except for a few replay folks in NY.  I am, so I will. 

​When a crew rotates up to the MLB offices for a week, do they have any part of the replay reviews?

[maven]

For the first one: that runner still needs to retouch, or be liable to be called out upon a properly executed retouch appeal.

[DVA7130]

The whole "catcher must give a lane" and associated nonsense does not exist on any youth or high school diamond.

[rpumpire]

The whole "catcher must give a lane" and associated nonsense does not exist on any youth or high school diamond.

​It exists in high school in Massachusetts, which is OBR-based.

 

[Rich Ives]

The whole "catcher must give a lane" and associated nonsense does not exist on any youth or high school diamond.

​Most youth baseball is OBR-based. They may have exceptions. You'd need to see the organization's rules.

[DVA7130]

​Most youth baseball is OBR-based. They may have exceptions. You'd need to see the organization's rules.

​Everybody, including FED no matter the state, has something (malicious contact, ect) that will supersede the poorly written OBR rule.

The whole point, bulldozing the catcher, was already outlawed by some provision in youth and High School ball. That is the point.

 

[Rich Ives]

​Everybody, including FED no matter the state, has something (malicious contact, ect) that will supersede the poorly written OBR rule.

The whole point, bulldozing the catcher, was already outlawed by some provision in youth and High School ball. That is the point.

 

​The comment you made was: "The whole "catcher must give a lane" and associated nonsense does not exist on any youth or high school diamond."

My response was basically "check your rules".

because giving a lane and bulldozing the catcher can be entirely separate things.

Examples: FED requires that the fielder without the ball allow access (give a lane). LL requires no blocking at all (giving a big lane) if the fielder doesn't have the ball.

If the runner bulldozes the fielder, or the fielder cross body blocks the runner, we could have MC of UC, but they are independent actions. One does not cause the other.

 

[DVA7130]

The new MLB rule is entirely separate and of no relation to your every day obstruction.