What's the Call

[Guest Robert]

With one out, R1 on third base and R2 on second base, B4 hits a fly ball on the first-base side of second base almost directly at F4. As R2 takes a couple of steps toward third base, she makes contact with F6, who is moving toward the batted ball.

 

a. The umpire signals and verbalizes "Dead Ball"; R2 is out for interfering with F6's opportunity to make an initial play on a batted ball.

 b. The umpire signals and verbalizes "Dead Ball"; R2 is out for interfering with F6's opportunity to make a live-ball appeal of R2 leaving early if the fly is caught.

 c. The umpire makes no call; this is nothing more than a "train wreck" with both players doing what they were supposed to do.

 d. The umpire signals delayed dead ball and verbalizes "Obstruction." F6 is guilty of obstructing R2.

[Stk004]

First of all, I would never say "dead ball" as an umpire. But I choose D. 

[Richvee]

Must be softball that still signals delayed dead ball. Yes, Obstruction. "D"

[VolUmp]

I'll take "D" for 2,000, Alex.

[ALStripes17]

Must be softball that still signals delayed dead ball. Yes, Obstruction. "D"

HS baseball in Alabama still uses the extended left fist ...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[Richvee]

2 hours ago, ALStripes17 said:

HS baseball in Alabama still uses the extended left fist ...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

my condolences.

[BT_Blue]

On Tue Jan 31 2017 at 7:05 AM, ALStripes17 said:

HS baseball in Alabama still uses the extended left fist ...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

[BT_Blue]

As for the OP. Since it the way it is written. It sounds like we would be protecting F4 (since it sounds like it is hit right at him/her), F6 would not be afforded the same protection. Thus, they need to get their butt out of the way.

D... obstruction.

[Mudisfun]

 she makes contact with F6

Since the pronoun here is SHE I am going with this is softball...

I have D since the ball is hit towards the 1st base side I would be protecting F4 and not F6.

[JSam21]

D as in all Day

[PHamilton101]

F4 is the only one who has protection.  There was no train wreck.  Answer is D.

[FleasOf1000Camels]

Devils advocate, here. 

I'm leaning toward C, under the theory that it sounds like a routine ball that F4 will catch, so that "obstructed" runner wasn't going anywhere.

Unless the contact was blatant or malicious, I didn't see it.

[Stk004]

2 hours ago, FleasOf1000Camels said:

Devils advocate, here. 

I'm leaning toward C, under the theory that it sounds like a routine ball that F4 will catch, so that "obstructed" runner wasn't going anywhere.

Unless the contact was blatant or malicious, I didn't see it.

Doesn't matter where R2 is going, F6 has no business being in her way. That doesn't mean R2 will get any award, but it's still OBS. 

[noumpere]

40 minutes ago, Stk004 said:

. That doesn't mean R2 will get any award, but it's still OBS. 

Unless it's FED. 

[Stk004]

1 hour ago, noumpere said:

Unless it's FED. 

[BT_Blue]

5 hours ago, Stk004 said:

Get used to it young'n. Unless you make it into pro ball, this is probably your next step.

[beerguy55]

21 hours ago, FleasOf1000Camels said:

Devils advocate, here. 

I'm leaning toward C, under the theory that it sounds like a routine ball that F4 will catch, so that "obstructed" runner wasn't going anywhere.

Unless the contact was blatant or malicious, I didn't see it.

In softball, it would still be obstruction and the umpire could simply rule the runner gets second base....that is, F6 obstructed the runner from returning to second base on a fly ball where the runner is going to have to tag up.

[beerguy55]

On 2/2/2017 at 10:03 AM, Mudisfun said:

 she makes contact with F6

Since the pronoun here is SHE I am going with this is softball...

I have D since the ball is hit towards the 1st base side I would be protecting F4 and not F6.

I would say it's because the ball is hit "almost directly" at F4 that it's D, not JUST because the ball is on that side of the base.  There are many times, especially in softball, where a fly ball on the first base side of second (depending on how close to second it is) will be called and caught by F6.  Without the statement that it was hit almost directly at F4, the answer, on occasion, could be A.

Even with the statement, if the ball is catchable by F6...What if F6 had immediately called "mine mine mine"?  If the kids do what they're taught, F4 will give way to F6, who is the captain of the infield.

There are many times in an infield where a fly ball, even hit directly at one player, is catchable by two or even three players - is protection not afforded any player who could reasonably make the play, not just the one who should make the play, or is most likely to make the play?

[ALStripes17]

I would say it's because the ball is hit "almost directly" at F4 that it's D, not JUST because the ball is on that side of the base.  There are many times, especially in softball, where a fly ball on the first base side of second (depending on how close to second it is) will be called and caught by F6.  Without the statement that it was hit almost directly at F4, the answer, on occasion, could be A.
Even with the statement, if the ball is catchable by F6...What if F6 had immediately called "mine mine mine"?  If the kids do what they're taught, F4 will give way to F6, who is the captain of the infield.
There are many times in an infield where a fly ball, even hit directly at one player, is catchable by two or even three players - is protection not afforded any player who could reasonably make the play, not just the one who should make the play, or is most likely to make the play?

Interpretations all say the one who is most likely to make the play is the one afforded protection... That can change as the play develops but an F6 calling 'mine mine mine' is not part of what we use to judge protection.

Also, in FED softball, do they have a minimum one base award for OBS?

[noumpere]

1 hour ago, beerguy55 said:

 is protection not afforded any player who could reasonably make the play, not just the one who should make the play, or is most likely to make the play?

No, it's not.  Only one fielder is protected.  Contact with another fielder is likely OBS (and it might be nothing -- it's NOT INT).

[maven]

No, it's not.  Only one fielder is protected.  Contact with another fielder is likely OBS (and it might be nothing -- it's NOT INT).

You mean, one fielder at a time is protected, right? In another recent play in the forum, a batted ball deflects from one fielder to another, transferring the protection to the other fielder.

[beerguy55]

4 hours ago, ALStripes17 said:

Also, in FED softball, do they have a minimum one base award for OBS?

I know in Softball Canada there is no minimum - OBS can simply result in the base already occupied being the award. (eg. rundown between third and home, runner is obstructed running back to third, the umpire can simply give him/her third base.  This also applies to a fake tag which is OBS, with the runner usually just getting the base they were going to when the fake tag occurred - in either direction)

I know that ASA (I think this is USA Softball now) and NSA follow this methodology, as I've seen it enforced in tournaments my teams have played in Washington, Idaho and Montana.  I've never had exposure to NFHS.

 

Here's a link to OSR, for the helluvit.  

http://www.baseball-softball.de/wp-content/uploads/Softball-Rules-2014-2017-English.pdf

Rule 8 Section 7b.

"The obstructed runner, and each other runner affected by the obstruction, will always be awarded the base or bases they would have reached, in the umpire's judgment, had there been no obstruction. If the umpire feels there is justification, a defensive player making a fake tag could be ejected from the game." 

[noumpere]

21 hours ago, maven said:

You mean, one fielder at a time is protected, right? In another recent play in the forum, a batted ball deflects from one fielder to another, transferring the protection to the other fielder.

es -- I was answering the specific question asked, but I appreciate the clarification on what could be taken as an absolute statement.

[ALStripes17]

Interesting... Doesn't look like FED softball has the minimum one base award either.

FED baseball requires a minimum one base award. NCAA and OBR distinguish between two types of OBS, one of which is an immediate dead ball and minimum one base award.

[Guest Vic]

I would choose answer C because F6 is not making the initial play, F4 is making the initial play. R2 is not obstructed as well since third base is occupied therefore R2's advancement to the next base contingent upon whether R1 advances home, tags up, or simply stays at third base. This is incidental contact. 

[beerguy55]

37 minutes ago, Guest Vic said:

I would choose answer C because F6 is not making the initial play, F4 is making the initial play. R2 is not obstructed as well since third base is occupied therefore R2's advancement to the next base contingent upon whether R1 advances home, tags up, or simply stays at third base. This is incidental contact. 

Doesn't matter.  Even forgetting about whether or not R2 can or should advance to third, she has a right to return to second base as well (especially since she's going to have to tag up), and F6's contact with her has hindered that - imagine a scenario where she falls to the ground and F6 goes to second base to receive the easy throw from F4 after the catch.   It's obstruction, and the "reward" is likely to grant her second base, depending on the rule set.

Since the OP mentions girls, as well as the delayed dead ball signal, I'm assuming the question is about softball - the reward for softball in this scenario would be second base.