@@MoonlightGrahamCracker I never said it was a hit ball. So are you saying she was just supposed to set back out of the way to catch the ball. Kind of hard to tag someone out from a foot away
@@ronaldmead7643 fielder has to position herself so she does’t impede the runner, that is the rule. She can’t be blocking the runner UNTIL she has the ball. The rule is pretty clear, not sure what your are arguing.
@@MoonlightGrahamCracker I would not have called it. I am saying the fielder has the right to try and get the ball other wise if the ball is low and inside like this then the fielder just has to stand there and not try for it.
@@ronaldmead7643 this video is literally showing a game example of the rule. Fielders know how to position themselves to make the catch and tag and avoid impeding the runner. Its basic fielding. What you “would” do is meaningless.
In softball, there is only obstruction. It's not separated into type 1 and 2 as it is in baseball. Though, if a play is being made on an obstructed runner, softball does kill the play immediately. In softball, the rules state that the umpire simply award the base the runner would have obtained had there been no obstruction. In this case, the runner was heading back to first, and had there not been obstruction, she would have reached first base. Thus the award of first base and not second base.
Technically, by the book, when the pitcher steps onto the pitching plate they need to pause with their hands separated to take a sign from the catcher or appear to. This pitcher has their hands together.
except that when obstruction is called, the penalty award is one base FORWARD. it looks weird, but in this case, the awarded base would be second base.
Not true, the award in softball for obstruction is the base the runner would have reached absent the obstruction. It is not an automatic base advancement.
@@wlangley88 sorry. i meant to disclaim myself as a baseball umpire. yeah, it appears that this is a rule that should be evaluated in softball. it appears that in softball, the only "award" is an automatic "safe" call. big deal...
Good vid. However, the penalty, an important part of any rule explanation, is missing. There is a difference in penalty from baseball to softball, and some umpires who work both sports will get it wrong in softball. In NFHS softball, the runner is awarded the base she would have reached had there been no obstruction. In NFHS baseball, the runner is awarded the next base regardless of the direction he was headed when the obstruction occurred. This is an important difference to understand, especially in rundowns and pickoffs.
This Umpire totally blew the call, what it should have been is Obstruction on the catcher for blocking the base path without the ball and the runner is safe. Little League rules is you CANNOT obstruct the base path without possession of the ball even if the throw draws you into the path to make a catch. OBSTRUCTION runner safe. @1:00 the catcher is in the base path WITHOUT THE BALL OBSTRUCTION!! 1:00 to 1:04 the catcher did not have the ball and obstructed the runner who collided with the catcher. So the thing NONE OF KNOW IS WHAT RULES THEY ARE USING AND WITHOUT THOSE WE CANNOT MAKE A RULING!! I am using Little League Rules and under those the runner is safe Obstruction on the catcher!!!
At 1:03 the catcher caught the ball, this one could go either way. Contact does not have to be made for obstruction to be called. Some local rules Supersede official rules depending on the league. I would support the umpires ruling based on the ball was caught prior to contact and the girls arms were extended. Tough call, we get to stop, pause and rewind. His call was a judgement call real time.
always risky for a baseball umpire to comment on softball plays, but.... under NFHS baseball rules, that is obstruction by F2, and malicious contact by R2. Malicious contact supersedes obstruction, so the runner is out and ejected and the obstruction is disregarded.
@@umpireva5440 yeah, I commented on another softball play the other day that 90% of the rules are the same, but that last 10% is a doozy. I mostly try to steer clear of softball plays now after stepping into that 10% several times, but sometimes I'll wade in anyway with the disclaimer that I'm a baseball umpire and commenting as if it were baseball game.
I agree, Dave. 100% in baseball. Easy to slide. I'm wondering with softball and 60' bases and this happen so much faster that the runner might see a clear path until its too late? So, out for the contact, but maybe not ejected? I'm not a softball guy either, but while this runner was in the wrong, I'm not seeing a girl being malicious...especially given that the catcher would be ruled for obstruction if not for the runners mistake. But like you...I probably am not the guy to comment on softball. 😉
@@MH-Tesla the rules in softball and baseball are pretty much the same for this kind of collision: the runner is obligated to attempt to avoid the collision, and the fact that she runs directly at the catcher, puts her arms out and leans into the collision tends to summon the Malicious Contact call. The runner could easily have stepped around the catcher and probably would have scored or at least would have drawn the obstruction call instead, but instead chose to slam into the catcher. In high school ball in particular, these types of collisions are expected to be punished; these are kids... big kids, some may even be legally adults, but they're still kids in school.
She didnt do that on purpose. What was she supposed to do, not field the ball and let it go wildly into right field. Throw was low and inside the bag, give me a break.
Since when does it have to be on purpose to be obstruction? A fielder not in possession of the ball nor in the act of fielding a batted ball cannot hinder a runner from running the bases. Until she has the ball she cannot impede the runners progress. This is a training video from NFHS, yes this is obstruction in any softball ruleset.
Yes @dean Arnold, to your hypothesis of letting the ball go into right field. The runner is not watching where the 1B is, she’s just trying to get back to the base. 1B MUST allow a clear path back unless she has the ball. Catchers poor throw is not the runners fault, and 1B is clearly blocking path without the ball. Easy call. I have umpired since the 80s and far more often see a wild throw from the infield pull the 1B off the bag into the batter-runner’s path, which is also obstruction. Wild throws are not the runner’s problem; all Rs must be given a clear path to all bases unless fielder has the ball. In these cases, to avoid the obstruction penalty, the fielder must learn to let the wild throw be a wild throw instead of moving into the runner’s path to retrieve it.
All 3 of you have put a great description of the interpretation of the rule for the way the call should have been called. It's my bad, good job you guys, you all must be or could be with your knowledge either good umpires or great coaches involved with the game!!
So it’s the base runner fault the throw is low? The infielder should have went toward the ball to stop it from going pass her instead of creating obstruction.
Good Video, BUT... Only thing not making it perfect, you are missing an Umpire making the correct 'hand signal' hence part of the reason for looking up this video. Everything else though was A+.
Not obstruction because the runner was never hindered or impeded by the catcher prior to her having possession. Watch the runner in her approach (do not focus on the catcher). For obstruction (USA Softball and NFHS rules), obstruction is "a fielder without possession of the ball who hinders or impedes a runner." The position of the catcher, in and of itself, does not equate to obstruction under USA/NFHS rules. Now, to answer Lee's question: USA softball provides for a "crash ruling" in which the player can be out but not ejected or out and ejected. This didn't rise to the level of ejection.
Obstruction. However, the runner made no effort to get around or avoid crashing into the catcher (in which case she would have been awarded the plate for obstruction). So the deliberate crash into the catcher is a dead ball and an out.
Obstruction rule the pussification of america.
The first baseman had to get down there to catch the ball No other way she could have caught it and taged the runner out
It was a pickoff attempt, not a hit ball, she can’t impede the runner if she doesn’t have the ball, trying to catch a throw doesn’t matter
@@MoonlightGrahamCracker I never said it was a hit ball. So are you saying she was just supposed to set back out of the way to catch the ball. Kind of hard to tag someone out from a foot away
@@ronaldmead7643 fielder has to position herself so she does’t impede the runner, that is the rule. She can’t be blocking the runner UNTIL she has the ball. The rule is pretty clear, not sure what your are arguing.
@@MoonlightGrahamCracker I would not have called it. I am saying the fielder has the right to try and get the ball other wise if the ball is low and inside like this then the fielder just has to stand there and not try for it.
@@ronaldmead7643 this video is literally showing a game example of the rule. Fielders know how to position themselves to make the catch and tag and avoid impeding the runner. Its basic fielding. What you “would” do is meaningless.
In softball, there is only obstruction. It's not separated into type 1 and 2 as it is in baseball. Though, if a play is being made on an obstructed runner, softball does kill the play immediately. In softball, the rules state that the umpire simply award the base the runner would have obtained had there been no obstruction. In this case, the runner was heading back to first, and had there not been obstruction, she would have reached first base. Thus the award of first base and not second base.
It does not look like the BU had the best angle to assess if F3 had the ball, but he surely could tell that F3 was blocking the bag...
she already "owned first base" so she shld get 2nd base on the obstruction! (thats the way it is in bsbl)
Technically, by the book, when the pitcher steps onto the pitching plate they need to pause with their hands separated to take a sign from the catcher or appear to. This pitcher has their hands together.
Great call!
Not sure I understand. Looks like she is looking in to me.
In baseball, the runner would get second base
Or not
I wish they would enforce this rule more often. The ball must be released while still on the pitchers rubber.
Men 46 ft. Woman 43 ft
We have many umpires in my state who have no clue.
Time for you to get out there and be an umpire.
What the hell was that ???
So what did the umpire call?
It doesn't matter what the umpire called. Its a teaching moment, were not here to call people out, but to learn from the play.
except that when obstruction is called, the penalty award is one base FORWARD. it looks weird, but in this case, the awarded base would be second base.
Not true, the award in softball for obstruction is the base the runner would have reached absent the obstruction. It is not an automatic base advancement.
@@rkbeals A bad rule. A team has nothing to lose by obstructing on every pickoff play.
Not by NFHS rules. I know. Stupid penalty.
@@wlangley88 sorry. i meant to disclaim myself as a baseball umpire. yeah, it appears that this is a rule that should be evaluated in softball. it appears that in softball, the only "award" is an automatic "safe" call. big deal...
@@cloudwatcher724 That play is so bang bang, you have to pause it to make look like obstruction.
Good vid. However, the penalty, an important part of any rule explanation, is missing. There is a difference in penalty from baseball to softball, and some umpires who work both sports will get it wrong in softball. In NFHS softball, the runner is awarded the base she would have reached had there been no obstruction. In NFHS baseball, the runner is awarded the next base regardless of the direction he was headed when the obstruction occurred. This is an important difference to understand, especially in rundowns and pickoffs.
Agreed. I see the umps (I'm an ump in NFHS) fail to give signals all the time.
The runner is out because she thrust her arms out while trying to crash into the defender with the ball.
This Umpire totally blew the call, what it should have been is Obstruction on the catcher for blocking the base path without the ball and the runner is safe. Little League rules is you CANNOT obstruct the base path without possession of the ball even if the throw draws you into the path to make a catch. OBSTRUCTION runner safe. @1:00 the catcher is in the base path WITHOUT THE BALL OBSTRUCTION!! 1:00 to 1:04 the catcher did not have the ball and obstructed the runner who collided with the catcher. So the thing NONE OF KNOW IS WHAT RULES THEY ARE USING AND WITHOUT THOSE WE CANNOT MAKE A RULING!! I am using Little League Rules and under those the runner is safe Obstruction on the catcher!!!
At 1:03 the catcher caught the ball, this one could go either way. Contact does not have to be made for obstruction to be called. Some local rules Supersede official rules depending on the league. I would support the umpires ruling based on the ball was caught prior to contact and the girls arms were extended. Tough call, we get to stop, pause and rewind. His call was a judgement call real time.
As the throw draws the catcher toward the foul line and contact is made after the ball is caught so we have an out no obstruction
always risky for a baseball umpire to comment on softball plays, but.... under NFHS baseball rules, that is obstruction by F2, and malicious contact by R2. Malicious contact supersedes obstruction, so the runner is out and ejected and the obstruction is disregarded.
Dave as a baseball umpire I agree that we don't know your rules. People don't understand that the 2 sports have MANY differences in rules.
@@umpireva5440 yeah, I commented on another softball play the other day that 90% of the rules are the same, but that last 10% is a doozy. I mostly try to steer clear of softball plays now after stepping into that 10% several times, but sometimes I'll wade in anyway with the disclaimer that I'm a baseball umpire and commenting as if it were baseball game.
I agree, Dave. 100% in baseball. Easy to slide. I'm wondering with softball and 60' bases and this happen so much faster that the runner might see a clear path until its too late? So, out for the contact, but maybe not ejected? I'm not a softball guy either, but while this runner was in the wrong, I'm not seeing a girl being malicious...especially given that the catcher would be ruled for obstruction if not for the runners mistake. But like you...I probably am not the guy to comment on softball. 😉
@@MH-Tesla the rules in softball and baseball are pretty much the same for this kind of collision: the runner is obligated to attempt to avoid the collision, and the fact that she runs directly at the catcher, puts her arms out and leans into the collision tends to summon the Malicious Contact call. The runner could easily have stepped around the catcher and probably would have scored or at least would have drawn the obstruction call instead, but instead chose to slam into the catcher. In high school ball in particular, these types of collisions are expected to be punished; these are kids... big kids, some may even be legally adults, but they're still kids in school.
@@MH-Tesla Its a deliberate crash. dead ball and out. then you decide if ejection should be done.
She didnt do that on purpose. What was she supposed to do, not field the ball and let it go wildly into right field. Throw was low and inside the bag, give me a break.
Since when does it have to be on purpose to be obstruction? A fielder not in possession of the ball nor in the act of fielding a batted ball cannot hinder a runner from running the bases. Until she has the ball she cannot impede the runners progress. This is a training video from NFHS, yes this is obstruction in any softball ruleset.
Yes @dean Arnold, to your hypothesis of letting the ball go into right field. The runner is not watching where the 1B is, she’s just trying to get back to the base. 1B MUST allow a clear path back unless she has the ball. Catchers poor throw is not the runners fault, and 1B is clearly blocking path without the ball. Easy call. I have umpired since the 80s and far more often see a wild throw from the infield pull the 1B off the bag into the batter-runner’s path, which is also obstruction. Wild throws are not the runner’s problem; all Rs must be given a clear path to all bases unless fielder has the ball. In these cases, to avoid the obstruction penalty, the fielder must learn to let the wild throw be a wild throw instead of moving into the runner’s path to retrieve it.
Intent is not part if this rule
All 3 of you have put a great description of the interpretation of the rule for the way the call should have been called. It's my bad, good job you guys, you all must be or could be with your knowledge either good umpires or great coaches involved with the game!!
So it’s the base runner fault the throw is low? The infielder should have went toward the ball to stop it from going pass her instead of creating obstruction.
Good Video, BUT... Only thing not making it perfect, you are missing an Umpire making the correct 'hand signal' hence part of the reason for looking up this video. Everything else though was A+.
How did youtube recommend me my Own profile name as a video?!!!
Happens all the time in baseball. Almost never called,except now on plays at plate.
Grreat example o_o
This is just an out. The throw brought the catcher into the path of the runner. Read USA Softball rulebook POE #13F.
Not obstruction because the runner was never hindered or impeded by the catcher prior to her having possession. Watch the runner in her approach (do not focus on the catcher). For obstruction (USA Softball and NFHS rules), obstruction is "a fielder without possession of the ball who hinders or impedes a runner." The position of the catcher, in and of itself, does not equate to obstruction under USA/NFHS rules. Now, to answer Lee's question: USA softball provides for a "crash ruling" in which the player can be out but not ejected or out and ejected. This didn't rise to the level of ejection.
That is the perfect example of obstruction.
obstruction by catcher...safe should have been called
Obstruction. However, the runner made no effort to get around or avoid crashing into the catcher (in which case she would have been awarded the plate for obstruction). So the deliberate crash into the catcher is a dead ball and an out.
Why not out and gone?