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21 replies

You make the call

M mrumpiresir10+ posts
Had this in a varsity game today.
Right handed batter hits a pop up one third of the way down the first base line. There is initally some contact between the batter and the catcher as the catcher moves down to field the ball, but I judged this to be incidental. So now the batter runner is behind the catcher heading towards first and the catcher slows to make the catch but the pitcher is also moving under the ball. The BR goes to his left into fair territory as he passes the catcher but collides with the pitcher and the ball, the pitcher and the batter-runner all fall in a pile about two feet into fair territory. The pitcher definitely had a play on the ball.
My initial thought was we could call obstruction on the catcher, but since the pitcher was deprived of a chance to catch the ball I called the batter out for interference. What do you think?
That play made me wonder if interference would supercede obstruction.

Suppose the ball was popped up to F6 and F3, not paying attention, obstructed the BR on his way to first base. Would obstruction and an award of first base be the correct call on a play where the BR was put out on the catch by F6?
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Michael S. TaylorMichael S. Taylor1,000+ posts
AKG is probably correct here. it's a strange play that causes you to really umpire. You have two fielders trying to catch a ball and a runner trying to get to first. The first thing you have to do is decide which fielder to protect, they only get one. If you decide the pitcher has the protection and the runner hits him then kill the ball, call him out and return any other runners to their base TOP. If you decide the catcher is the protected fielder and the pitcher and runner collide, kill the ball, award first base. This assuumes the catcher didn't catch it. Also, if it HS rules allow the play to finish before killing the ball.
M mrumpiresir10+ posts
Initially I thought F2 should be protected but after the BR passed F2 I felt F1 now should be protected. As the play unfolded I was on line to see if the ball would be touched in fair or foul territory and did not see F1 until an instant before the collision. I had a hard time deciding if F2 or F1 should be protected as it appeared either one could have made the catch. I made my decision that I had interference on the BR once he went to the left of the catcher instead of moving to the right into foul territory (even though a collision in foul territory would have resulted in the same call).
JC Jeff Connell100+ posts
You can't protect two fielders. To change in the motion of the play is not fair to the BR. Once in your mind you protected the catcher you should have stayed with it. If you did it, I will assume by what you wrote that the BR also thought the catcher was making a play and tried to avoid, so he did all he could. It appears that for some reason the BR went to the inside rather than the outside so I will believe that the catcher must have made the BR go to the inside.
M mrumpiresir10+ posts
Jeff,
I agree with everything you say. It was difficult to determine who should be protected since each had an equal opportunity to catch the ball. I also had the resposibility of Fair or Foul and whether or not I had incidental contact or Obstruction by F2. I thought the smart thing for the batter to do would to have gone into foul territory to first base instead of moving into fair territory.
What criteria do you believe should be used to determine who should be protected when either could have caught the ball?
TA The All Knowing Garth10+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by mrumpiresir:
Initially I thought F2 should be protected but after the BR passed F2 I felt F1 now should be protected. As the play unfolded I was on line to see if the ball would be touched in fair or foul territory and did not see F1 until an instant before the collision. I had a hard time deciding if F2 or F1 should be protected as it appeared either one could have made the catch. I made my decision that I had interference on the BR once he went to the left of the catcher instead of moving to the right into foul territory (even though a collision in foul territory would have resulted in the same call).

O players put the ball into play. D players now have the right to the ball without O players interfering. O players can stop, reverse, run around etc. D players have to take direct lines to the ball to make the play.

Unfaair? No, D players can't OBS O players and are either in pursuit of the ball or they need to get the hell out of the way of Rs advancing.
jjkjjk500+ posts
"You can't protect two fielders. To change in the motion of the play is not fair to the BR."

I hope that's not correct, cause if their reading my mind, I'm in trouble! Cause I'd a probably protected em both in this play no matter what I would have expected the BR to go well into foul territory to avoid all the fielders. Not attempt to weave through em.

I think it was the correct call. The BR ain't supposed to know which F is protected, just that he better give em room.

But you are correct that we can't protect both, ex. same play, BR collides with F2 as F1 boots the ball, that's probably obstruction.

I'm not reading any rule books but am pretty sure there is no obstruction awarded the BR on any fly ball caught, nor foul ball. So your pop up to SS with F3 obs. wouldn't help the BR, unless it wasn't caught.
JC Jeff Connell100+ posts
I would protect the first one that made a viable attempt on the play. You can not expect the baserunner to run 10 feet out of the baseline to avoid a moving circling fielder. The rule says he has to obstruct while using reasonable effort to avoid contact. It is our job to determine reasonable effort. If he is trying to avoid contact and the fielder moves 3 feet rapidly at the last moment, that is reasonable effort. Every contact can not be obstruction.
If there had been contact by the catcher before contact with the pitcher and you in your mind thought the pitcher was the one making the play, would it not be obstruction on the catcher.
A Athensump10+ posts
I am glad this play was brought up because I had one close to it and need this panels advice. Batter hits a really short pop up down the first basline maybe 30-40 feet. Batter runner was running down the line with the catcher trailing and going after the pop up. The pitcher runs over and dives for the ball and in doing so hits the runner but did not knock him down. The catcher fielded the ball on the ground and threw the runner out by a step. I called obstruction and needless to say the defensive coach was not happy. He wanted interference but I said the runner could not have seen the pitcher diving and was only doing his job by running out the hit ball. Was I wrong?
jjkjjk500+ posts
quote:
You can not expect the baserunner to run 10 feet out of the baseline to avoid a moving circling fielder.


Yes, I think you can. The BR or any runner, can not interfere with a fielder fielding a batted ball, period.
If F4 is doing cartwheels and spinning like a top after a pop-up on a windy, sunny, rainy day, the runner better not interfere. It's simple, your running tha bases, don't run into a defender that's trying to field a batted ball.

Running lane, baseline, out the window when it comes to a fielder, fielding a batted ball.
A Athensump10+ posts
cpttuna, the catcher was trailing the runner, sorry if I mislead you on this. The catcher other than the incidental contact at the plate was out of the play until the pitcher dove and touched the ball and then the catcher picked it up and threw the runner out. I said it was obstruction and the more I listen to you guys I think I booted the call. I do appreciate this fine group that most everyone takes what they say and do very seriously.
S SanDiegoSupermanMember
quote:
Originally posted by Athensump:
cpttuna, the catcher was trailing the runner, sorry if I mislead you on this. The catcher other than the incidental contact at the plate was out of the play until the pitcher dove and touched the ball and then the catcher picked it up and threw the runner out. I said it was obstruction and the more I listen to you guys I think I booted the call.
Sadly, I must inform to your accuracy, in calling out your misdeed, Athens. My fondest hopes that you did not, inadvertently, without cause or malthought, deliver this judgment, in error, with error, causing concern at the least, pain at the line of its reality.

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