Ask UEFL - Obstruction 2 in Little League Rules Review

[Lindsay]

Despite Iowa's right fielder appearing to throw out a Missouri baserunner at third base during the Little League World Series Midwest Region Championship, the first base umpire after the play declared the runner safe, awarding the base due to obstruction (type 2). Here's a brief review of baseball's obstruction rule, its two types, and their respective penalties.

Little League's rulebook is based on the Official Baseball Rules used at the professional/MLB/MiLB level, so the following summary refers to OBR-level obstruction calls.

Obstruction (all types) as referenced by OBR 6.01(h) is defined as, "the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner."

More about OBS 1 vs 2 (A vs B): Obstruction 1 or A vs 2 or B - The Difference is Crucial (6/23/17).

Obstruction 1 (not this play) occurs when a runner is obstructed while a play is being made on said runner or when the batter-runner is obstructed prior to reaching first base even if not being actively played upon. Most cases of this brand of obstruction occurs during rundowns, but every so often Obstruction 1 occurs during an infield ground ball by a fielder not in the act of fielding the ball.

OBS 1 Penalty: Immediate dead ball, obstructed runner awarded at least one base, others placed.

Example: 3B Umpire Angel Hernandez calls Obstruction 1 on Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz as Washington is making a play on obstructed runner Guillermo Heredia of Atlanta (4/13/22).

Obstruction 2 (THIS PLAY) occurs when a runner is obstructed while no play is being made on said runner. This can occur at any time, but many cases of obstruction two occur when a batted ball is in the outfield and an absentminded infielder accidentally (or sometimes intentionally) stands in the runner's base path, forcing a collision or otherwise impeding the runner by causing them to stop or change direction; it is obstruction whether or not contact is made.

OBS 2 Penalty: Ball remains live until play's natural conclusion, impose any penalties that in umpire judgment will "nullify the act of obstruction" (OBR 6.01(h)(2)). Important note: This is not a free pass to the next base as the umpire's "nullify the act" ruling does NOT necessarily mean an obstructed runner will get an extra base; thus, attempting to advance too far may put the runner in jeopardy of being put out.

Example: 2B Umpire Angel Hernandez calls Obstruction 2 on New York shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera who impeded Washington baserunner Jayson Werth after missing a throw and while the ball was in the outfield (no play being made on obstructed runner at time of obstruction) (4/29/17).

OBS 2 also ended Game 3 of the 2013 World Series when Red Sox fielder Will Middlebrooks remained on the ground and in Cardinals runner Allen Craig's path as an overthrown ball rolled into the outfield. 3B Umpire Jim Joyce and HP Umpire Dana DeMuth both made the call to award Craig home, ruling that had obstruction not occurred, Craig would have scored the winning run.

In the Iowa-Missouri game, obstruction two occurred when the first baseman stood in the runner-from-first's base path. Although Obstruction 1 guarantees the obstructed runner the next base (at least), Obstruction 2 offers no such guarantee. Instead, it is up to the umpire where to place the runners in order to nullify the act and declare what the play's likely outcome would have been had obstruction not occurred.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Umpire declares runner safe after obstruction near 1st base (CCS)

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[Velho]

That's my friend's daughter (he and I just did a Section Semifinals tournament game). She has aspirations to go pro - forget that top school engineering degree  

Love how decisive and clear she was.

[stevis]

2 hours ago, Velho said:

That's my friend's daughter (he and I just did a Section Semifinals tournament game). She has aspirations to go pro - forget that top school engineering degree  

Love how decisive and clear she was.

I'm going to send that around to my LL umpires as an example of what it means to "take the spotlight" on a big, unusual call.  It was great.

[LRZ]

The only question I had--and I honestly don't know the answer, so this is not a criticism--is whose call is the award? U1 called the obstruction at first, U3 had the out call at third. Is it the "obstruction-calling" official's call, or should the crew have gotten together for a brief discussion?

[Jimurray]

14 minutes ago, LRZ said:

The only question I had--and I honestly don't know the answer, so this is not a criticism--is whose call is the award? U1 called the obstruction at first, U3 had the out call at third. Is it the "obstruction-calling" official's call, or should the crew have gotten together for a brief discussion?

Old PBUC: "In all cases of obstruction, the umpire calling the play should have the benefit of the advice of his/her partners. The umpire watching the obstruction will have difficulty in determining the position of other runners. It is recommended that when "Time" is called on obstruction, if there is any doubt in the minds of the umpires about where the runner or runners should be placed, the umpire shall confer."

Current MLBUM says "may confer"

This OP seems to be straightforward with calling umpire deciding. The pause was seen by U1 and the award was given. 

[The Man in Blue]

@Jimurray ... that was clear as mud.  The umpire calling safe/out should have help since they may not see the obstruction while the umpire who saw it may not be following the end of the play ... but if there is no doubt don't get together.  😁  I'm interpreting that as the "obstruction" umpire should kill it and the crew should get together because the award should belong to the calling umpire (not the obstruction umpire).

Like @Velho I do love her presence on the play.  I'm wondering (we can't see it) if she called the obstruction when it happened and how that looked.

However, along the lines of @LRZ's comment, I'm not sure I like the look of how that went down.  Not that my like matters ... but I think it would have been better to get together before giving the award.  Instead, it does like a bit like the first base umpire is "overruling" the third base umpire.  We don't see it that way because we know what to look for, but for the Joe Six-Pack parent in the stands ... 

[Velho]

11 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

but I think it would have been better to get together before giving the award.  Instead, it does like a bit like the first base umpire is "overruling" the third base umpire.  We don't see it that way because we know what to look for, but for the Joe Six-Pack parent in the stands ... 

This is a good point.

 

11 hours ago, The Man in Blue said:

The umpire calling safe/out should have help since they may not see the obstruction while the umpire who saw it may not be following the end of the play ... but if there is no doubt don't get together. 

In this exact situation, since it was U1 seeing the OBS, she had the entire play in front of her. The out being a banger, I'd imagine, made it "a no doubter" in her mind on the premise that any OBS will cost the runner at least one step.

[Jimurray]

1 hour ago, Velho said:

This is a good point.

 

In this exact situation, since it was U1 seeing the OBS, she had the entire play in front of her. The out being a banger, I'd imagine, made it "a no doubter" in her mind on the premise that any OBS will cost the runner at least one step.

It is a good point. In most of my obstruction calls I don't think I signaled safe. It was "time", a point and verbal reference to the obstruction location, and a point to the awarded base. The safe looks like an overrule. Wasn't there an MLB ump who said that his mechanic would have been better if he hadn't signaled safe at HP?

[Velho]

2 hours ago, Jimurray said:

Wasn't there an MLB ump who said that his mechanic would have been better if he hadn't signaled safe at HP?

The Cardinals world series play?

[UmpAgain]

Didn't see the discussion in this forum prior to posting a now locked thread in the rules section.  Here is my post.  Still curious....

Quote

 

Looper to shallow right-center field.  R1 leaves the bag and collides with F3, recovers, keeps going, then pauses about 1/3 of the way to 2nd.  He is clearly watching to see if the ball is caught.  Ball is dropped by F8.  R2 scores, R1 rounds 2nd and is thrown out a 3rd with U3 signaling and emphatic out.  U1 comes running over signaling safe on the obstruction.  That's how the play ended.

My impression is that this was an incorrect call.  After the contact, R1 clearly stopped to assess whether the ball was caught, I just don't see hindrance here.  An even if there was hindrance, given his stop do you protect him to 3rd?

Thoughts?

BTW, the Iowa team is from the town I grew up in and my first umpire job was calling LL minors for them in 1986!

 

 

Steve 

[Thunderheads]

16 minutes ago, UmpAgain said:

 

Didn't see the discussion in this forum prior to posting a now locked thread in the rules section.  Here is my post.  Still curious....

 

Steve 

Steve, I merged your post within this one ...your question is still out there within this thread, ...your answer should be here also

[Velho]

14 minutes ago, UmpAgain said:

BTW, the Iowa team is from the town I grew up in and my first umpire job was calling LL minors for them in 1986!

Very cool.

13 minutes ago, UmpAgain said:

After the contact, R1 clearly stopped to assess whether the ball was caught, I just don't see hindrance here.  An even if there was hindrance, given his stop do you protect him to 3rd?

It is obstruction by definition: "OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball, impedes the progress of any runner... (NOTE: Obstruction shall be called on a defensive player who blocks off a base, base line, or home plate from a base runner while not in possession of the ball)."

As for the cure: "7.06(b) If no play is being made on the obstructed runner, the play shall proceed until no further action is possible. The
umpire shall then call "Time" and impose such penalties, if any, as in that umpire's judgment will nullify the act of obstruction."

The runner isn't protected to any base. Generalizing this situation, runner may not be protected at all or could be protected all the way to home.

The judgement call in this situation is if that OBS cost R1 the step he was out by. 

 

[Jay R.]

On 8/17/2022 at 2:27 PM, Velho said:

The Cardinals world series play?

Yes, Dana DeMuth signaled safe before signaling either "Time" or "Obstruction". Video here: