Rule question

[3afan]

This is definitely NOT OBS. And umpire cannot tell the fielder where to play if she is legal. If OBS happens, then it needs called. "Impeding vision" is not OBS.

 

[Westwind]

BU told her she had to move her position because she was blocking the base runners view of the pitcher.

Sheesh. No. Not a violation in any way and to even suggest otherwise is goofy. Anyone that is “stumped” here is a dingbat.

A defensive player can play wherever she wants. If the base runner wants to see the pitchers foot better she can look around her, like you see in games all the time at all levels. Come on.

Until USSSA bans slapper defense or “the shift”, 1b can pretty much set up anywhere she wants.

 

[EdLovrich]

Ok, playing devil's advocate on this, what part of OBS does NOT apply? Easiest way to deal with this is ask (not tell) the fielder to adjust slightly. If she doesn't and the situation keeps happening, call dead ball, put runner where she would have gotten ( right where she is, at first) and put the ball back in play. There is an alternative to solve the issue (though I would hate to go there and why asking for the adjustment is the easy way), apply 11.2.n and eject for unsporting conduct for Behaving in any manner not in accordance with the spirit of fair play .

Trying to avoid that action, but umpires do get baked into corners. Again, I am not saying the intent was to screen the runner's vision, but if a slight step to the side is to onerous and the player and/or coach want to prove a point, that is a fight they will lose. Actually, everyone ends up losing, but part of the job of an umpire is o ensure fairness in the conduct of every player and participant.

No, an umpire cannot and should not tell a player where she should play, but certainly can tell her where she cannot play if it creates an advantage not in the spirit of good sportsmanship.

 

[Westwind]

what part of OBS does NOT apply?

Devils advocate? No. None of it applies. ”Block the view of the base runner.” *****The. View.****

Even if it was intentional, it doesn’t matter. It’s not any more unsportsmanlike than fake bunt/steal or 100 other examples of gamesmanship.

Easiest way to deal with this is ask (not tell) the fielder to adjust slightly.

You are going to position my fielders? No. And if you have a concern about where they are playing above 8u, please talk to the head coach not the player. Thanks.

Dude! The base runner can peek around the fielder! They do it all the time. You are arguing “what if” bs here that isn’t in the rule book and you won’t find it in interpretations. It’s the “Imaginary Rule” crap. It doesn’t exist.

I can’t imagine wasting time even discussing this in a time limit game. Good gawd.

@Comp @marriard you are needed here.

 

[Westwind]

Want to argue imaginary rules?

What are you going to do when I bring in my outfielders and my shortstop to play on the first base side of the infield?

 

[EdLovrich]

Westwind. Not a darn thing, unless they are interfering in an unsporting manner to prevent the other team from seeing the pitcher. Like I said above, no umpire should tell a player where she should play, that is the coach's job. I can and should enforce where she can't be, however.

And as for this being about the view being obstructed rather than the physical person of the runner; that has no bearing. If a defender can commit obstruction verbally, which she can, then she can absolutely do so by physically obstructing the runner's view.

Again, as an umpire, I have for too many other things to do pre-pitch than to even notice this unless a) it is egregious or b) the offense asked me to address it.

 

[flash277]

I kind of agree with what Ed is saying, but as an umpire, I'd never call that. If that umpire was pressed on that call, he probably would use Ed's example.

 

[Comp]

That is an NCAA only rule. Does not apply in any other ruleset and no it is not obstruction in anything but NCAA.

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[CoachJD]

But let me ask all of you who have gotten twisted out of shape about THIS situation; Runner on second, the SS (or 2B or CF for all I care) stands directly in front of the bag, between the runner and the P. She positions herself in this very odd, but certainly very legal, place ONLY when there is a runner on second. As an umpire, do you mention something about it to prevent a situation? If the offense says something to you about it, do you tell THAT HC that there is nothing you can do, the fielder has both feet in fair territory, she is legally positioned.

Yes, that's exactly what I tell the complaining HC. I might also say "If your players hit that giant hole she's leaving in the infield, maybe they'll stop doing the legal thing you don't like."

I can and should enforce where she can't be, however.

Yes, but "maybe in the line of sight of a base runner" is not a place she can't be.

 

[Gags]

That is an NCAA only rule. Does not apply in any other ruleset and no it is not obstruction in anything but NCAA.

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Unless I missed a reference, I thought everything Ed quoted was straight from USSSA? Or are you replying to the original OP, and saying the umpire in the original scenario was applying an NCAA rule?