Throw takes fielder into baseline

[Guest Jim]

Was watching a game played under Fed rules. After a hit, a runner was on his way home when the second baseman throws to the plate. The throw takes the catcher's glove into the baseline where there is a collision. catcher caught ball and held on to it but ump called obstruction. His reasoning was that the fielder has protection on his initial attempt to field a batted ball but has no such protection on a thrown ball. Was this right? Also, what would be the call if this happened at first base if a throw took the first baseman's glove into the baseline of the runner?

[Richvee]

In FED, the catcher, first baseman, or anyone else cannot hinder the progress of the runner. "In the act of fielding the ball" is NOT an exception to obstruction in FED.

Here's a case play regarding your play at 1st scenario.

8.3.2 SITUATION K:

F6 fields a ground ball and throws to F3 in attempt to retire B1 at first. The ball is thrown wide. As F3 lunges towards the ball, F3 collides with B1, knocking him to the ground prior to possessing the ball (a) while the runner is short of first base

RULING: (a) Obstruction;

 

 

[udbrky]

Did he call obstruction on the catcher or 2nd baseman? 

 

Doesn't make sense for C, very few times will he be fielding the ball in a spot where the runner from 3rd is running into him.

[Guest Jim]

The obstruction was called on the catcher. the throw was a bad one and catcher reached to his left, which carried him into the baseline

[ricka56]

In regular baseball, if the throw takes a defensive player into the path of the runner, there is no obstruction. But in HS (Fed) there is no absolution for the fielder when the throw takes him into the runner's path (F3 in the OP). If he doesn't have possession of the ball, and something funky happens, he is subject to be called for obstruction. It is a (gutsy) judgement call.  

[gymcoch]

In LL, I thought that this would be "I got nothing" or train wreck if the thrown ball to F3 (for example) took him into the baseline and colliding with BR??

[Rich Ives]

50 minutes ago, gymcoch said:

In LL, I thought that this would be "I got nothing" or train wreck if the thrown ball to F3 (for example) took him into the baseline and colliding with BR??

LL does NOT have the "in the act of fielding" in it's rule. Basically the same as FED.