Dropped Ball/OBS

[zoops]

I'm guessing many of you do not get the CBUA training videos but they had one this week that made me wonder.  Play at plate, catcher drops ball as he's gloving a throw from RF and tries to tag runner, who misses the plate.  Could you ever call obstruction here as the catcher does not have the ball and his contact could be ruled to have caused the runner to miss the plate?

[BT_Blue]

Any way you can post the videos?

[zoops]

Files are too big to do so.  

[Gfoley4]

1 hour ago, zoops said:

Files are too big to do so.  

you can also 'screen-record' your screen of the video. Fairly simple on mac, probably similar on windows

[zoops]

Those are still too big; I know I could put it on youtube but don't really want to as I didn't produce it.  I think the description gives a pretty good picture of what's going on. Key mental picture would be the F2 standing in front of HP (definitely not blocking), throw comes in from RF on one hop about belt high to the F2 who tries to glove it quickly and turn toward the 3rd base side of the plate and tag the runner who is attempting a hook slide.  F2 does not glove the ball (it's laying in front of HP when the tag attempt is made) and tags the runner with his empty glove.  Runner is ruled to have missed HP (can't tell in video), F2 picks up ball after realizing he doesn't have the ball and tags him out.  I see rule verbiage for a fielder being in the act if he's within a step and a reach of a batted ball but don't see the same language for a thrown ball.  

[Richvee]

Step and a reach is only for runners avoiding fielders after the fielder’s initial attempt at fielding a batted ball. What was the interp in the video?  Obstruction?  

[Replacematt]

Was the runner hindered? If not, then nothing else matters.

[humanbackstop19]

On that particular video, NO, I do not think there was OBS.  The catcher had secure possession of the baseball prior to blocking off the plate.  The force of the contact on the slode deviated the runner, with nothing malicious, making everything legal.  I thought it was great timing by the umpire to see the clear path the runner  before contact and the drop after contact to hold his call.  

[zoops]

14 hours ago, Richvee said:

Step and a reach is only for runners avoiding fielders after the fielder’s initial attempt at fielding a batted ball. What was the interp in the video?  Obstruction?  

The video did not address this aspect of the play, it just struck me as something I'd never thought of before.  

 

14 hours ago, Matt said:

Was the runner hindered? If not, then nothing else matters.

I doubt he misses the plate if the catcher doesn't tag him without the ball.  

 

My instinct is the that the tag attempt without the ball wouldn't be called OBS but just wanted to generate some discussion.