Fielder falls on top of sliding runner

[SleptTilNoonLOL]

FED. R2, outs dont matter. Runner steals 3rd, throw is high and goes into shallow LF where it is backed up by the SS who fumbles it very briefly then scoops it up. As F5 leaps for the throw he comes down and in his attempt not to step on the sliding runner he ends up falling on top of him, and instantly rolls off him. Their entanglement lasted maybe 0.5 seconds. Nothing unusual that I havent seen 100 times to this point. But then the runner gets up and takes off for home. He is thrown out by 30 feet. If it wasnt for the contact with the fielder, he still would have been out by 25 feet. He had no business running home. Coach wants OBS. I just stayed with the out and never really questioned it but actually did have trouble justifying it to the coach with a rule quote. Because the runner had already reached 3b when the fielder fell on top of him, he is protected to the next base if a fielder obstructs him so by the letter of the law the coach did have a case here. But if this was called this way, it would be coached into every kid to automatically run to the next base if you get even briefly tangled up with a fielder while sliding into a base. 

 

Wondering if I am missing something here and also how I could have explained the call quickly and efficiently

[834k3r]

36 minutes ago, SleptTilNoonLOL said:

FED. R2, outs dont matter. Runner steals 3rd, throw is high and goes into shallow LF where it is backed up by the SS who fumbles it very briefly then scoops it up. As F5 leaps for the throw he comes down and in his attempt not to step on the sliding runner he ends up falling on top of him, and instantly rolls off him. Their entanglement lasted maybe 0.5 seconds. Nothing unusual that I havent seen 100 times to this point. But then the runner gets up and takes off for home. He is thrown out by 30 feet. If it wasnt for the contact with the fielder, he still would have been out by 25 feet. He had no business running home. Coach wants OBS. I just stayed with the out and never really questioned it but actually did have trouble justifying it to the coach with a rule quote. Because the runner had already reached 3b when the fielder fell on top of him, he is protected to the next base if a fielder obstructs him so by the letter of the law the coach did have a case here. But if this was called this way, it would be coached into every kid to automatically run to the next base if you get even briefly tangled up with a fielder while sliding into a base. 

 

Wondering if I am missing something here and also how I could have explained the call quickly and efficiently

It's a HTBT for sure, but based on your narrative I'd have scored the runner based on 8-3-2, and I don't think his trying for home had anything to do with it.

While you talk about a situation in the last sentence of that rule, I'm more focused on the second half of the first sentence:  "...the umpire shall award the obstructed runner a minimum of one base beyond the runner's position on base when the obstruction occurred."

[JonnyCat]

That's the issue with FED obstruction. Awarding the offense a cheap base sometimes. I much prefer OBR type 1&2.

By letter of the rule, if you call obstruction in FED, it's a minimum of 1 base award. 

Did you call the obstruction when it happened? If so, then yes you would have to award HP.

There is a thread or two on UE talking about FED obstruction rules, and how umpires should assess the situation before calling it, because of the mandatory award. I'm not sure if a search would locate the thread. IIRC, it talked a lot about not calling it too soon, so you wouldn't award a "cheap" base. Kind of like when a batter hits a clean base hit, with no chance of going to 2B, but while the BR rounds 1B, he makes contact with the first baseman. In FED, if you instinctively called obstruction, by rule you would have to award 2B. Even though the BR had no intention of trying to make it to second. Waiting a little bit before calling it is probably a good practice when doing FED games.

[ousafe]

Here's an easy way for teams not to give up cheap bases: don't obstruct.

[SleptTilNoonLOL]

@JonnyCatthanks for your response. To answer your question, I did not call OBS when it happened for exactly that reason of just having some baseball sense and not wanting to award a free base when it was nothing more than a stolen base with the other fielder (F6) doing his job well by backing up the play to avoid further advancement

[noumpere]

13 hours ago, SleptTilNoonLOL said:

 Because the runner had already reached 3b when the fielder fell on top of him, he is protected to the next base if a fielder obstructs him so by the letter of the law the coach did have a case here. But if this was called this way, it would be coached into every kid to automatically run to the next base if you get even briefly tangled up with a fielder while sliding into a base.

The runner is awarded home even if he doesn't try to advance.  And, yes, it's OBS

[aaluck]

21 hours ago, SleptTilNoonLOL said:

As F5 leaps for the throw he comes down and in his attempt not to step on the sliding runner he ends up falling on top of him, and instantly rolls off him. Their entanglement lasted maybe 0.5 seconds.

I have a bit of a different take.  I do not see this as obstruction.  Exactly what did he obstruct the runner from doing?  I have nothing here, like you did.