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TOPIC: Runner Obstructed |
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| Allissa
May 9, 2013
11:08:33 PM
Entry #: 4055618
| Runner on first, and a long extra base hit by the batter over the center fielder's head. Runner from first, sees short stop in base line a few steps on leftfield side of second. Our runner alters here path to avoid contact with SS. In doing so, she misses second base, but as she continues on about two more steps she collides with the SS and falls. Our runner gets up, retouches second base (the ball is still not picked up yet), and then has to avoid the SS who is still down on one knee in the line. Our runner comes home and the throw comes home. Our runner is called out. We had one umpire and I asked him about the collision at second. He claimed that he never saw the contact, and that he thought that the runner had tripped over second base. The ball was hit to centerfield, so I don't know how he missed the play. What is the right call if the umpire had seen the play?
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| OPA
May 10, 2013
10:39:06 AM
Entry #: 4055725
| Due to the obstruction, your runner was protected between 2nd and 3rd. It was heads up that she made sure she touched 2nd or she could have been called out on proper appeal if the play ended there. The obstruction after the touch of 2nd again protected her between 2nd and 3rd. In the Umpires opinion she had been obstructed for the same amount of steps she was from home plate when tagged, she would be called safe.
ie: obstructed for 3 steps and tagged out within 3 steps of home, safe. Out if tagged over 3 steps from home. This is of course the Umpire saw the obstruction. An Umpire can not call what is not seen.
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| Nov
May 10, 2013
2:32:01 PM
Entry #: 4055808
| runner is awarded home since the obstruction in this case obviously prevented her from an easy score. always favor the runner when dealing with this. i.e., if you think it would have been a close play w/o obstruction, award the base. don't read into it & think 'a great throw may have gotten her out'. obstruction not only impedes the runner but now she has to accelerate again. plus, the defense caused the issue
whether the runner missed 2nd on her own or due to her 'anticipated obstruction' is up for debate but the collision is not. in one umpire system there's always something being missed - our head is always on a swivel. possible reason why this was missed - one umpire has to see all touches of bases, and umpire could have quickly glanced to 1B to see batter touch it. [hopefully umpire was not watching the ball at that point as it was well over the fielder's head and probably rolling at that point]
OPA - great point on the retouch of 2B!
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| Allissa
May 11, 2013
7:49:36 PM
Entry #: 4056042
| Thanks, Opa & Nov! There's absolutley no doubt that the umpire was watcing the ball roll in the outfield. And since he didn't see the obstruction, it just makes it a "judgement call."
Thanks for the rule.
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| Ghew
June 3, 2013
5:22:45 PM
Entry #: 4062665
| I'm confused, my understanding (more NFHS than ASA) is that the runner is only protected between the two bases where the obstruction occurred, once she reaches third she is in jeopardy going to home...is the rule different in ASA??
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| Perry
June 3, 2013
8:32:43 PM
Entry #: 4062712
| Yes, she is protected beyond the base in this sense. Whatever the runner lost as a result of the obstruction is added to the end of the run. If the runner gets an extra base hit and is obstructed by the frist baseman and in the umpire's judgement lost five steps, you add five strides to the end of the run in the event that she is tagged out. If she's tagged out running home, add the five strides to the end. Does that put her beyond home plate? If it does, she scores. If it doesn't, she's out.
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