1st Base Obstruction

Question
This is a followup to another question on the same subject.

I am a Little League AA Division coach.  We just finished playing a game against a team whose coaches overtly taught their 1st basemen to straddle the bag on infield groundballs.  The only person on the field who did not believe this to be obstruction was the umpire of course.  He told me that my players were to touch the outside of the bag.

In my judgment, my players did not even have the outside of the bag available to them, and this resulted in several outs at first base.  My players were forced to pull up short of the bag or risk injury.

Here is my question: if the umpire will not call obstruction and the league will not sanction the offending team, since it is legal for a batter/runner to slide into 1st base, if I coach my kids to slide and contact is initiated, who is at fault?  What other choices do I have?  Do I have to tolerate this?  Is it time to pack it in for organized ball?

The previous commentor wrote that sliding into first is not baseball.  I heartily disagree, since it is legal to slide into first.  I see a hard slide into the legs of the obstructing first baseman as the only appropriate response to what I view as league-endorsed cheating.  I would like your opinion.  Thank you.

Answer
Definition: Obstruction is an act, intentional or unintentional, as well as physical or verbal, by a fielder or any member of the defensive team that hinders a runner or changes the pattern of play.  When obstruction occurs, the ball becomes dead at the end of playing action & the umpire has the authority to determine which base or bases shall be awarded the runner or runners.

The batter runner should be encouraged to aim for the "outside" of the bag just as the first baseman should be encouraged to play the inside of the bag, but neither are rules.  You did not mention a specific age & I would never encourage a negative physical act, but I could always figure a way to "brush" back a guy at the plate or have one of my bigger boys send a message to the first baseman.

In all levels from Little League to MLB, this would certainly be obstruction by the book.  I am certified through AAA & officiate D1 college for over 25 years.  If you would like to have a league officer or UIC call me, I would be glad to quickly explain the rule & its intent.Please feel free to show this to them.

Be respectful & professional though.

Thanks, Andy 423.605.3035

If this helped, please rate me positively, if not please call me back. BTW, sliding is legal in baseball & softball.