Catcher obstruction - scoring
Question
My son plays Little League. During an at-bat, he was obstructed by the catcher, hitting the catcher's glove prior to hitting the ball in play. The umpire called the play dead, ruled obstruction, and awarded the batter first base. How is this scored for the batter? Does it count as an at-bat? Is it an error with an out, or is it ruled a single? Thank you.
Answer
Randy,
For Little League purposes, this would count as an at bat. However, it is not considered a dead ball. It is a delayed dead ball, with the offensive manager deciding to take the result of the play, or the catchers interference. It is not a hit, yet not an error.
In professional baseball, it would not be considered an at bat.
I hope this has answered your question. Should you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
-Martin Hoover
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