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8 replies

Obstruction

L Lesterclan10+ posts
We just completed a game where we had a runner at 2nd and the batter hit a ball to left field. R2 approaches 3rd and is rounding to head for home. 3rd baseman collides with him. R2 stops at 3rd after the collision but the ball was in the gap and the coach sends him home. They relay the throw and get the runner out at home. The Field ump said since he was heading to 3rd when the obstruction occured he gave him that base, but R2 ran to home on his own. Clearly R2 would have been safe at home had he not been knocked down by the collision with the 3rd baseman. Is that the correct call?
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C cccsdad100+ posts
The runner is awarded the base that in the umpires judgement, he would have made it to. The umpire did not make the correct call if he stated he gave him 3rd because that's the base he was headed to. It's the umpires judgement as to which base the runner would have safely reached without the obstruction. Sounds like this ump didn't know that.
Last edited by cccsdad
J johntaine2110+ posts
cccsdad is correct,
I would like to add what the umpire should have done was call time at THE END of the play OF THE OBSTRUCTED RUNNER (when said runner was called out, I'm assuming called out since you said "would have been safe"), at that time say there was obstruction on the play so the runner is safe, BUT, be aware of the Batter-Runner since you will have to place him as well
obradyobrady500+ posts
MLB.com

I thought the runner always got to go forward a base. I've seen runners in a run down, run into the first baseman and get second base for Obstruction.

7.06
When obstruction occurs, the umpire shall call or signal "Obstruction."
If a play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batterrunner is obstructed before he touches first base, the ball is dead and all runners shall advance, without liability to be put out, to the bases they would have reached, in the umpire’s judgment, if there had been no obstruction. The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base he had last legally touched before the obstruction. Any preceding runners, forced to advance by the award of bases as the penalty for obstruction, shall advance without liability to be put out.
Rule 7.06(a) Comment: When a play is being made on an obstructed runner, the umpire shall signal obstruction in the same manner that he calls “Time,” with both hands overhead. The ball is immediately dead when this signal is given; however, should a thrown ball be in flight before the obstruction is called by the umpire, the runners are to be awarded such bases on wild throws as they would have been awarded had not obstruction occurred. On a play where a runner was trapped between second and third and obstructed by the third baseman going into third base while the throw is in flight from the shortstop, if such throw goes into the dugout the obstructed runner is to be awarded home base. Any other runners on base in this situation would also be awarded two bases from the base they last legally touched before obstruction was called.
(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 his judgment will nullify the act of obstruction.
Rule 7.06(b) Comment: Under 7.06(b) when the ball is not dead on obstruction and an obstructed runner advances beyond the base which, in the umpire’s judgment, he would have been awarded because of being obstructed, he does so at his own peril and may be tagged out. This is a judgment call.
NOTE: The catcher, without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.
LonBlue67LonBlue67100+ posts
Being ever the contratrian, I will say that the BU may have made the right call for the wrong reason.


You are right that there's no 'he gets one base' on type B Obstruction. Its umpire judgement....BUT!


If (and I may be reading into the situation too far) the baserunner clearly stopped at Third, and then only continued because his basecoach urged him on....then the BU may have ended his protection of the baserunner at Third because he ended his advance and then started again under different circumstances....essentially advancing at his peril. Type B Obstruction does NOT give a baserunner a blank check to run all the way to Home regardless of 'post-Obstruction evidence.' The umpire can continually re-evaluate the base he will protect the baserunner to, as the play develops.

So here, when the collision happened, the BU could say, 'he would have made it to home in continuous action.' and protected to Home....but then the baserunner clearly stops at Third, so the umpire changes it there. If the baserunner THEN decides to try for Home, he's on his own.

This is a seriously HTBT situation, as you can tell.
C cccsdad100+ posts
Did the runner stop becuase the obsturction caused him to, or did he just run to 3rd after the obstruction, then realize the ball was in the gap, then at that time took off?

Lone may have a point, if he was obstructed, stopped, then proceeded to 3rd, stopped saw the ball in the outfield then at that time tried to advance, he could be put out.
Regardless, it sounds like this was not what the umpire was thinking, given the fact he said he was awarded 3rd because that was the base he was going to.
Last edited by cccsdad
J johntaine2110+ posts
quote:
R2 approaches 3rd and is rounding to head for home.

Right there...I see Lon's point, but since he was heading for home, maybe the coach was waving him...it definitely says heading for home though, I would have to give him home, even after something else happens, because no matter what, I have him being slowed up, causing him not to go home. Therefore, I grant him home, call time, say there was obstruction, and then place batter-runner.
Michael S. TaylorMichael S. Taylor1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by obrady:
MLB.com

I thought the runner always got to go forward a base. I've seen runners in a run down, run into the first baseman and get second base for Obstruction.

7.06
When obstruction occurs, the umpire shall call or signal "Obstruction."
If a play is being made on the obstructed runner, or if the batterrunner is obstructed before he touches first base, the ball is dead and all runners shall advance, without liability to be put out, to the bases they would have reached, in the umpire’s judgment, if there had been no obstruction. The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base he had last legally touched before the obstruction. Any preceding runners, forced to advance by the award of bases as the penalty for obstruction, shall advance without liability to be put out.
Rule 7.06(a) Comment: When a play is being made on an obstructed runner, the umpire shall signal obstruction in the same manner that he calls “Time,” with both hands overhead. The ball is immediately dead when this signal is given; however, should a thrown ball be in flight before the obstruction is called by the umpire, the runners are to be awarded such bases on wild throws as they would have been awarded had not obstruction occurred. On a play where a runner was trapped between second and third and obstructed by the third baseman going into third base while the throw is in flight from the shortstop, if such throw goes into the dugout the obstructed runner is to be awarded home base. Any other runners on base in this situation would also be awarded two bases from the base they last legally touched before obstruction was called.
(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 his judgment will nullify the act of obstruction.
Rule 7.06(b) Comment: Under 7.06(b) when the ball is not dead on obstruction and an obstructed runner advances beyond the base which, in the umpire’s judgment, he would have been awarded because of being obstructed, he does so at his own peril and may be tagged out. This is a judgment call.
NOTE: The catcher, without the ball in his possession, has no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score. The base line belongs to the runner and the catcher should be there only when he is fielding a ball or when he already has the ball in his hand.


In the rundown play you quoted it is always one base. This is a type A obstruction. The play that is posted in the OP is a type B obstruction. Here the umpire is going to award what he thinks is needed to nullify the obstruction. In some cases that could be nothing and in others it could be a couple of bases. In OBR the umpire should announce the obstruction when it happens then figure what to do after the play. In your casetype A, he calls time imediately and awards at least a base but it could be more.

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