Kulpa-Lentz's Obstruction Shades of Joyce-DeMuth

[Lindsay]

Sunday's Red Sox-Indians game featured an 8th-inning obstruction call as HP Umpire Nic Lentz awarded Cleveland baserunner Oscar Mercado home plate after 3B Umpire Ron Kulpa's obstruction call moments earlier, harkening back to the 2013 World Series when Jim Joyce and Dana DeMuth combined to make a...

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[SH0102]

He was obstructed rounding third as well, but U3 was looking into outfield; or you might have had two obstructions on same play on the same runner!

[Thunderheads]

That entire play belongs in an umpiring text-book!  Perfect!

@johnnyg08

[BLWizzRanger]

OK, so what is the actual mechanic here?

I know pointing out the obstruction and letting the play continue.  Now, lets say the play is at the plate on the obstructed runner at another base, when that play is finished and there are no secondary plays (the ball being thrown to another base), does the umpire

(a) give the safe/out call on the play and then wait for the play to end to call time and award per the obstruction?

(b) give no call on the play and then wait for the play to end to call time and award per the obstruction?

 

I had a play at the plate that I called obstruction on the catcher.  I made the safe out call, waited for the play to end, and then called time and awarded the base.  My thinking was/is call the obvious play so there is no question to what I saw and so that the play can continue but once the play stopped, immediately call time and make the award.

I was told by my partner (who I wouldn't say was a veteran) to call time when the play at the plate happened and award the base with no waiting for a secondary play.

 

[Thunderheads]

10 minutes ago, BLWizzRanger said:

OK, so what is the actual mechanic here?

I know pointing out the obstruction and letting the play continue.  Now, lets say the play is at the plate on the obstructed runner at another base, when that play is finished and there are no secondary plays (the ball being thrown to another base), does the umpire

(a) give the safe/out call on the play and then wait for the play to end to call time and award per the obstruction?

(b) give no call on the play and then wait for the play to end to call time and award per the obstruction?

 

I had a play at the plate that I called obstruction on the catcher.  I made the safe out call, waited for the play to end, and then called time and awarded the base.  My thinking was/is call the obvious play so there is no question to what I saw and so that the play can continue but once the play stopped, immediately call time and make the award.

I was told by my partner (who I wouldn't say was a veteran) to call time when the play at the plate happened and award the base with no waiting for a secondary play.

 

Did you see the clip from the World Series in 2013 within that video?  Does that answer your question? (DeMuth shouldn't have signaled 'safe', but ... like Lentz did, .. call time.  Then go through the mechanic.

[BLWizzRanger]

1 hour ago, Thunderheads said:

Did you see the clip from the World Series in 2013 within that video?  Does that answer your question? (DeMuth shouldn't have signaled 'safe', but ... like Lentz did, .. call time.  Then go through the mechanic.

Well, I did and that is why I asked.  Both had a slightly different mechanic.  But go with the Lentz mechanic.  Got it.  Thanks. 

[Thunderheads]

9 minutes ago, BLWizzRanger said:

Well, I did and that is why I asked.  Both had a slightly different mechanic.  But go with the Lentz mechanic.  Got it.  Thanks. 

Correct, the World Series play is fine except for the 'safe call' by DeMuth.  Not technically wrong, because he was safe,  but ...if you're talking pure mechanics ... call time, award the plate.

[beerguy55]

5 hours ago, Thunderheads said:

Correct, the World Series play is fine except for the 'safe call' by DeMuth.  Not technically wrong, because he was safe,  but ...if you're talking pure mechanics ... call time, award the plate.

I think this has been discussed/answered here, but I'll ask again...in the World Series the runner doesn't appear to ever touch the plate...could Boston have appealed that (successfully)?

I "think" he's still required to completed his base running obligation after the award...at least for Type B.

 

Assuming the runner would be required to touch the base after the award...and the ball is dead now...what would be the logistics?  How much time, or what would the runner have to do, not do, to show he's not going to touch the base, until Boston is able to appeal...how does Boston get the ball made live to do their appeal...and when can the runner no longer be able to correct his mistake?

Assuming St. Louis is still dancing all around the field and celebrating, and Boston's defense is still on the field...

[Jimurray]

1 hour ago, beerguy55 said:

I think this has been discussed/answered here, but I'll ask again...in the World Series the runner doesn't appear to ever touch the plate...could Boston have appealed that (successfully)?

I "think" he's still required to completed his base running obligation after the award...at least for Type B.

 

Assuming the runner would be required to touch the base after the award...and the ball is dead now...what would be the logistics?  How much time, or what would the runner have to do, not do, to show he's not going to touch the base, until Boston is able to appeal...how does Boston get the ball made live to do their appeal...and when can the runner no longer be able to correct his mistake?

Assuming St. Louis is still dancing all around the field and celebrating, and Boston's defense is still on the field...

Other a home run or out of play ball I don’t think we have to put the ball in play. I think we consider the ball live while the defense can appeal between innings or game end. 

[johnnyg08]

On 8/31/2021 at 9:10 AM, BLWizzRanger said:

OK, so what is the actual mechanic here?

I know pointing out the obstruction and letting the play continue.  Now, lets say the play is at the plate on the obstructed runner at another base, when that play is finished and there are no secondary plays (the ball being thrown to another base), does the umpire

(a) give the safe/out call on the play and then wait for the play to end to call time and award per the obstruction?

(b) give no call on the play and then wait for the play to end to call time and award per the obstruction?

 

I had a play at the plate that I called obstruction on the catcher.  I made the safe out call, waited for the play to end, and then called time and awarded the base.  My thinking was/is call the obvious play so there is no question to what I saw and so that the play can continue but once the play stopped, immediately call time and make the award.

I was told by my partner (who I wouldn't say was a veteran) to call time when the play at the plate happened and award the base with no waiting for a secondary play.

 

If he's safe at the plate, there's nothing to award.