Interference, Obstruction or neither.

You are right in that this is not Interference (as I read it).

Type B Obstruction, delayed dead ball, if you judge he would have gotten no farther than Third without the Obstruction, protect him to that point.

Sounds like that was the ultimate result, even though you didn't signal Obstruction. So no harm no foul.

You can't use the subsequent progress/movement of the runner to judge whether or not to call Obstruction - call it when it happens, and immediately determine how far you are going to protect him (which could change depending on subsequent events in the play).

But your partner was not correct either - the simple fact of contact does not require a call, it could be nothing. Just depends.

The contact was very, very minor, so in my judgement the runner was not obstructed, now had he been knocked down or effected the point where he had to stumble into 3rd, or had he been put in any jepordy of being put out due to the contact I would have made the call. I guess what your saying is, since he made it to third anyway, and since in my judgement he would have made it to 3rd and only 3rd, no harm in giving the delayed dead ball, just in case.

here are 2 thoughts.......

Your partner either wants you to call "something" on any contact....I have had partners who felt that any contact required a verbal call and/or signal , even if it meant saying "thats nothing" so that the coaches knew you saw the contact and ajudged it a too minor to call..... It's a bit of preventive umpiring. I have done it this way.....its an option...

or

Your partner wants you to call it (signal) and then decide afterwards if the contact effected the play enough to protect the runner into the base.....this is not a problem either....

Both methods inform participants that you saw the contact.........this may save you the trouble of having to explain to "SKIP" why you didnt call the contact......plus it saves "SKIP the walk from the bucket to the B position......

On the other hand, in big boy ball, hopefully your dealing with participants who know better....I see nothing wrong with your path.. In this area, sometimes there are not right and wrong answers, but right and more right answers as well....

piaa is right, oftentimes its good to give a safe sign/point and say 'thats nothing!' to show everyone you saw the contact but have decided it does not rise to the level of either Interference or Obstruction - saves argument later. Now, if your partner is saying 'all contact requires a call' to mean either call a violation or say 'thats nothing!' I can live with that (a non-call, really). But not that all contact means a violation happened.

dad, yes, if you judged that what you saw was nothing, then its nothing. No problem. Its HTBT of course. But, the PU can call it too, which he did, and thats his right.

But, you start out by saying it was a 'collision', then next its 'very very minor contact.' That means like barely brushing uniforms or something, NOT a 'collision'. So, im a little confused....

collision, contact, either way, it was very minor, I may have mispoke in my discription.

What is the signal or sign an umpire gives he if is going to protect the runner to where he thinks he should get?

When the runner goes past that does the umpire then take down the sign?

Basically what I am asking is what are the proper mechanics for this call.

In HS the mechanic is to hold your left arm out to your side. I don't knowe anybody that actually does that but it's in the book. In any code you are going to yell,"That's obstruction." I this case all codes agree that it is a delayed dead ball. Wait until the play is over then apply the appropriate penalty.
Once tou have called the obstruction you can't do anything about the runner overrunning his protection. If you remember the Tijada paly a few years ago where he was obstructed, Type B, and he stopped running partway to the plate and got thrown out. They kept the out because the obstruction didn't cause him to be out, his stopping running did.

As usual MST is right on it...The accepted NFHS mechanic is the extended left arm. The mechanic that I have been instructed to use was to leave the arm extended until the play comes to an end. The only thing I would add would be to discontinue the signal if the runner advances beyond his protected base.

I've tried to use it, and if being evaluated it is a ding if you dont use it......(old habits are hard to break)

For all my years the only mechanic I ever saw in general practice was to point at the play and loudly call "thats obstruction".........

In looking through my reference materials, I came across these mechanic references.....(scribbled in the margin of a clinic hand out).....

NFHS- To signal obstruction the umpire extends his left arm parallel to his shoulders with this hand in a fist.

NCAA- The umpire is to point and call "That's Obstruction".

OBR- To signal type A: the umpire extends both hands above his head in the same manner that he calls time.

To signal type B: the umpire uses the NCAA mechanic...

Hmmm, what would you guys have called in this sitch:

Sunday's Red Sox vs. Diamondbacks game, top half of the first with Coco Crisp leading off from 1st base. Randy Johnson catches him sleeping on a pick off. Coco Crisp starts running to second away from 1B who is chasing him with the ball. As they near second 1B throws to 2B. At that exact instant, runner turns around and crashes into 1B. 1B appeared to be trying to get out of the baseline so his momentum and the runner's momentum take both of them like 5 ft away from the baseline. 2B runs up and tags the runner.

Umpire signals Obstruction, awards runner 2nd and scorekeeper charges 1B with an Error.

Personally, I think the Umpire should not have called anything as 1B had the ball and was crashed into practically the moment he threw it. 1B cannot disappear (but he did try to get out of the way.) Plus the runner would never have made it back to the base safely. Did the runner purposely crash into 1B? Don't think it is relevant but I don't think 1B had a hell's chance of getting out of the way given when he released the ball.

Sounds like a classic Type A obstruction. This what is taught to get out of a rundown. Turn as soon as the ball is thrown and contact the fielder that threw it. Because a play is being made on him it is type A, the ball is imediately dead and he gets the base past the last legally touched base.
In Fed it is a delayed dead ball but the same enforcement.