Tigers' Short Obstructs Marlins' Berti During Rundown

[Lindsay]

Marlins baserunner Jon Berti stole second and advanced to third base on an obstruction error by Tigers second baseman Zack Short when Short failed to get out of the way during a rundown, resulting in a collision when Berti stepped or fell backward into a sidestepping Short. Was 3B Umpire Jansen Visconti's obstruction ruling the correct call?

The rulebook's definition of terms states that "obstruction is 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."

Recall that by rule, the fielder has the right of way during a batted ball while the runner has the right of way at any other time (which includes during rundowns). Accordingly, this collision—though physically caused by the runner—is nonetheless the fielder's fault because the fielder was no longer in possession of the ball when it occurred and he stood in a location the runner attempted to access while running the bases.

The exception here would be if the runner Berti clearly and intentionally went out of his way to collide with the fielder, but to prove this requires multiple strides toward the fielder, not simply one step or fall backwards. The fielder Short had no body control when he attempted to sidestep baserunner Berti without the ball and, thus, the collision is his responsibility.

This is not basketball where who gets to the spot first or being set is relevant: all that matters is that the fielder did not have the ball and impeded the runner during a rundown. This is Obstruction Type 1 (Type A) as in Official Baseball Rule 6.01(h)(1) and the obstructed runner is thus awarded the next base—third base.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Berti and Short collide on the bases because Short can't get out of the way

View the full article

[umpstu]

1 hour ago, Lindsay said:

Marlins baserunner Jon Berti stole second and advanced to third base on an obstruction error by Tigers second baseman Zack Short when Short failed to get out of the way during a rundown, resulting in a collision when Berti stepped or fell backward into a sidestepping Short. Was 3B Umpire Jansen Visconti's obstruction ruling the correct call?

 

The rulebook's definition of terms states that "obstruction is 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."

 

Recall that by rule, the fielder has the right of way during a batted ball while the runner has the right of way at any other time (which includes during rundowns). Accordingly, this collision—though physically caused by the runner—is nonetheless the fielder's fault because the fielder was no longer in possession of the ball when it occurred and he stood in a location the runner attempted to access while running the bases.

 

The exception here would be if the runner Berti clearly and intentionally went out of his way to collide with the fielder, but to prove this requires multiple strides toward the fielder, not simply one step or fall backwards. The fielder Short had no body control when he attempted to sidestep baserunner Berti without the ball and, thus, the collision is his responsibility.

 

This is not basketball where who gets to the spot first or being set is relevant: all that matters is that the fielder did not have the ball and impeded the runner during a rundown. This is Obstruction Type 1 (Type A) as in Official Baseball Rule 6.01(h)(1) and the obstructed runner is thus awarded the next base—third base.

Video as follows:

Alternate Link: Berti and Short collide on the bases because Short can't get out of the way

View the full article

Good call

[Velho]

+1 Correct rule application

-1 FPCS

I'd like to see any cite (I'll even take an interpretation 😁 ) of the exception for runner deliberately running at the fielder invalidating OBS. @Senor Azul - do you know of anything?

[SeeingEyeDog]

I would just like to add...at ANY level of baseball, when we have a rundown? Expect obstruction/interference and expect runners to go outside of their base path. We don't call this enough! It's not about intent. We can't read intent; what this guy or that guy "meant" or was "trying" to do. Just the facts, ma'am...what DID occur on the play? What did you see happen? Was there hinderance? Was there impedance? In closing, it's easy to get flatlined on a tag during a rundown especially if you are covering it solo as a partner gets in position to cover the other end. Anticipate the flow of the rundown and where and when a tag might occur so, you get a good look it...

~Dawg

[Senor Azul]

As a fatter of mact, Mr. Velho, I do know something about that. Unfortunately I cannot copy and paste anything so you will have to do a little work. Please look up the following thread...

Ask the Umpire forum 

Collisions at home plate, definition of avoidable collision...currently on p. 45

Dated 8-24-20. Find my second post and you will see citations from the Jaksa/Roder manual and the Minor League Baseball Umpire Manual. Feel free to copy and bring it forward to this thread.

[Velho]

23 minutes ago, Senor Azul said:

Collisions at home plate, definition of avoidable collision...currently on p. 45

"A runner cannot choose to just plow through a fielder who is attempting a tag. From the 2017 Jaksa/Roder manual (chapter 13, p. 108):

In such cases, a runner must prove by his actions and the way he positions himself that his intent is to reach the base safely and to stay on the base if it cannot be overrun… Actions that disregard this intent and show, rather, an intent to interfere with a fielder attempting a throw or tag include:

(a)   grabbing the fielder,

(b)   using excessive and unnecessary force in shoving, elbowing, spiking (at or above the knee), roll blocking, etc., the fielder,

(c)   intentionally standing (rather than sliding) and blocking the fielder,

(d)   waving arms to distract or hinder the fielder,

(e)   throwing a helmet at the ball or the fielder,

(f)     slapping the ball or the fielder’s glove or mitt, 

(g)   initiating an avoidable collision with the fielder (NCAA 8-7a-1 and 2)

From the 2018 Minor League Baseball Umpire Manual in Section 6.1 on page 81 (exact same text can also be found in the MLBUM😞

While contact may occur between a fielder and runner during a tag attempt, a runner is not allowed to use his hands or arms to commit an obviously malicious or unsportsmanlike act--such as grabbing, tackling, intentionally slapping at the baseball, punching, kicking, flagrantly using his arms or forearms, etc.--to commit an intentional act of interference unrelated to running the bases. Further, if in the judgment of the umpire such intentional act was to prevent a double play, the umpire would rule the batter-runner out as well. Depending on the severity of the infraction, it is possible the player may be ejected for such conduct."

[Velho]

Looks like the closest thing to the exception Lindsay noted of runner deliberately running at the fielder invalidating OBS is in NCAA

15 hours ago, Velho said:

(g)   initiating an avoidable collision with the fielder (NCAA 8-7a-1 and 2)

We had an even more extreme example not long ago (see below). Guess we'll wait for an example of what the runner has to do to not get the base award.