Baseball Musings
Baseball Musings
May 06, 2007
Fielder Obstruction

Shane Victorino is caught off first base, but is awarded second when he runs into Omar Vizquel. However, Victorino intentionally runs into Vizquel on the infield grass, when Omar was out of the way. I'll look up the rule, but Shane got away with one here.

Update: Obstruction isn't well defined here:

OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. Rule 2.00 (Obstruction) Comment: If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered "in the act of fielding a ball." It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the "act of fielding" the ball. For example: If an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner.

Given this definition, Vizquel did obstruct.

Update: Joe Morgan saying baserunners establish their own baseline is wrong:

7.08 Any runner is out when -- (a) (1) He runs more than three feet away from his baseline to avoid being tagged unless his action is to avoid interference with a fielder fielding a batted ball. A runner's baseline is established when the tag attempt occurs and is a straight line from the runner to the base he is attempting to reach safely; or (2) after touching first base, he leaves the baseline, obviously abandoning his effort to touch the next base;

Victorino should have been out. That cost the Giants a run.

Update: Okay, Morgan wasn't wrong. I read the rule from an old rule book, then just copied from the web site without re-reading. In my 1988 rule book:

He runs more than three feet away from a direct line between the bases to avoid being tagged.

Sorry I missed that.


Posted by David Pinto at 09:34 PM | Base Running | TrackBack (0)
Comments

Joe Morgan might be a buffoon, but that rule you quoted makes it sound like he is right. The baseline is established as a line between the runner and the base he is trying to get to (i.e. the baseline is whereever the runner currently is and where he is trying to go, not just a straight line connecting first and second base).

Posted by: Bill at May 6, 2007 10:25 PM

I think that this is one of the rules where common sense should rule. A rule allowing the runner to run out to an infielder in the grass should not be allowed, else it will look like a little league game with 6 year olds.

Posted by: obsessivegiantscompulsive at May 7, 2007 07:51 PM
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