verbal obstruction ?

[ricka56]

I had this last night. R1 stealing, less than 2 outs. Batter hits a towering fly ball. F6 will catch it when it returns to earth, but before then F4 starts acting and talking like he has gloved a ground ball and wants to turn two. F6 doesn't go near 2B (he has a fly ball to catch) but fakes towards 2B, talking and trying to add to R1's confusion (who has no idea which way to go). R1 stops, then continues towards 2B (because of F4/F6 antics) before realizing that he needs to return to 1B (which he does without a throw).

If R1 was doubled up at 1B, would this be verbal obstruction (award 2B) ?
If R1 returned safely to 1B (as was the case), is this still a 2B award ? 

[Senor Azul]

FED Official Interpretation:  Hopkins:  Any verbal decoy, such as “I’ve got it,” is obstruction. (Website 2001 #14)

2001 SITUATION 14: With runners on first and second and one out, the batter hits a ground ball to the shortstop. The second baseman calls "I got it" and acts as if it is a pop-up. The runners stay at their respective bases and a double play is made, second to first. RULING: This is verbal obstruction. Runners will be awarded third and second. There are two outs since the out on the batter-runner will stand. (2-22-1; 8-3-2)

From the 2016 BRD (section 375, p. 251):  Almost all physical decoys, “dekes” as they are called, are legal: pretending to field a grounder, catch a popup, glove a throw, or throwing a “popup” into the air on a steal. The one physical decoy that’s forbidden is the fake tag.

[maven]

I'd like to know what F4 said, but I'm inclined to say that's nothing.

For one thing, in the end it sounds as if there was no hindrance. The case play illustrating Hopkins's (overly broad) statement about verbal OBS shows what the hindrance here would look like. No hindrance = no OBS.

For another, both teams got the outcome they expected when the batter popped up to F6: B out, R1 back to 1B. To disrupt that by inserting an OBS call would be poor game management.

Even in a different version of the play that results in a DP, I can see a no call being right. If the batter had hit a soft liner to F6, with R1 stealing he's probably a dead duck on appeal. In that case again, a slight hesitation hear 2B is probably not sufficient hindrance to get OBS.

In general, live longer, and don't make borderline OBS/INT calls. A "KTSO" to F4 after the play seems better here.

[ricka56]

Don't remember everything said. "two, two" was one think F4 was saying along with miming DP actions. R1 was confused. Stopped, restarted towards 2B on the antics before sprinting/diving back to 1B. If delaying his return because of the antics is deemed obstruction, then I missed it.  

Also, props to Mr. Blue for the appropriate interp , but the official Hopkins interp and the BRD entry are not consistent. Is one of them trying to deke us ? 

[noumpere]

23 minutes ago, ricka56 said:

 

Also, props to Mr. Blue for the appropriate interp , but the official Hopkins interp and the BRD entry are not consistent. Is one of them trying to deke us ? 

No.

[ricka56]

3 hours ago, noumpere said:

No.

That was a rhetorical (joke) question