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Blocking the "BASEPATH"

GG Gold Glove100+ posts
We played a fall game last weekend where the catcher was up the line 5-10 feet blocking the basepath (without the ball) on three seperate occasions. I say 5 - 10 feet because 2 times it was closer to 5 and the third it was at least 10 feet. One time our runner was able to slide around because he was close enough to the plate but the other two times they slid into the catcher short of the plate. Luckily no one was injured and the catcher missed each of the throws. The HU stated the catcher was had a right right to be there as he was awaiting a throw.
My first concern is injury to either player.
My second is fairness, if a 2B or 3B did this it would most likely be called interference.
What is the rule and what are your interpretations on how to call it.
Again, this was not blocking the plate; this was blocking the basepath.
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LonBlue67LonBlue67100+ posts
This is treated differently under diff rulesets, and in fact is in the process of changing under NFHS. Which do you use?

In OBR, the fielder can establish position if a play is 'imminent'. IOW, if he is where he must be to field a throw. This is ump judgement, but a common rule of thumb for outfield-throws-to-the-plate is if the ball has reached the infield dirt, then the play is imminent. If not imminent, its obstruction.


In NCAA and (soon) NFHS, it is more restrictive - the fielder cannot block the runner's path w/o the ball in his possession. This makes obstruction easy to call. I *think* LL is this way also but am not sure.

Is this any help?
Michael S. TaylorMichael S. Taylor1,000+ posts
LonBlue67 is correct. NCAA and LL are exactly the same. It looks like the new Fed rule will be more restrictive than any other. OBR says the catcher can be there if he is fielding a ball but what the ump has to umpire is whether he there to catch a ball or there to make the throw come to him. The former is legal, the latter is obstruction.
If more umpires would correctly call this play then NCAA, Fed and LL wouldn't have to legislate tougher rules to make the umps call it.

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