Obstruction?

[Rolling Hard]

Nice throw

Nice hit too!

 

[Eric F]

I'm surprised it wasn't called obstruction on the field though.

The catcher is camped in the runner's direct path to the plate. The ball is definitely not there early. The runner slides into the catcher (and can't even do a real slide the catcher is so far up the line) approximately when the ball arrives (I think even if the ball arrives just before contact, it could be obstruction). It has all the elements of an easy obstruction call. You really have to parse the video to try to find a no call I think.

The catcher being camped in the runner's path without possession is not obstruction. She can be anywhere she wants. Obstruction doesn't happen until the moment the runner is actually impeded.

IMO, obstruction seems like it is probably the right call.

 

[Rolling Hard]

It's an easy obstruction call.

 

[CoachJD]

The catcher being camped in the runner's path without possession is not obstruction.

No, but it's Step 1 in a potential obstruction call. The play obviously happens very quickly, but as soon as the catcher went to that spot, the umpire should've been on alert for obstruction.

 

[Eric F]

No, but it's Step 1 in a potential obstruction call. The play obviously happens very quickly, but as soon as the catcher went to that spot, the umpire should've been on alert for obstruction.

Valid. Maybe she was. Her view of the play is better than ours.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

Valid. Maybe he was. His view of the play is better than ours.

In this case, the umpire is 1b line extended (and fairly far back) - which used to be the standard, but we understand now really isn't ideal positioning. Really wish more of us would try to update our mechanics to wedge so that we actually have the best look for calls at home.

 

[nixxy311]

Third ump is down 3b line - he comes in but I don't know if he had a better view than the HP ump.

 

[Greatdaytobeawildcat]

On a different note, I find it particularly obnoxious is that the school tweeted this to the state High School Association in a petty "look what the umps missed" message. Stay classy.

 

[MoJo]

There wasn't even a tag made by the catcher. The video clearly shows the glove and it never touches the runner, even with the slide and person to person contact. No effort to make a tag either.

Obstruction for sure. The ball isn't caught and controlled till all action is about stopped. Catcher certainly blocked the whole plate without the ball.

Ump is just standing around and making a guess.

 

[nixxy311]

The article about it even noted it was a controversial call at the plate.