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Obstruction, or not, while trying to pick-up a ball

2016/7/15 16:59:19


Question
A throw is made to first base on a batted ball. The first baseman (uh, basewoman?) drops the ball and the ball lands near the bag, and in the baseline between home and first base. The first baseman is trying to pick the ball up but fumbles with it, while it is on the ground, before picking it up. The batter that is running to first base stops just before the bag because the first baseman that is trying to pick the ball up is in the way. While trying to pick-up the ball, the first baseman is in contact with the ball, but does not have control of it. This is in a recreation league that follows ASA rules, and first base is a double-bag setup (white and orange, where the orange bag is in foul territory). The first baseman is right on the baseline when trying to pick-up the ball. Thus, she is not fully blocking either bag, but partially blocking both of them. She is not intentionally positioning her body to block the bags, she is simply trying to pick-up the ball that she is fumbling around. Is this obstruction? Thank you.

Answer
Hi Al,

OBSTRUCTION.
Obstruction is the act of a fielder:
A. Not in possession of the ball, or
B. Not in the act of fielding a batted ball,
which impedes the progress of a batter-runner or runner who is legally
running the bases.
If a defensive player is blocking the base or base path without the ball,
they are impeding the progress of the runner and this is obstruction.

Yup I have obstruction.

Mark
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