Expert: Martin Hoover - 4/21/2008

Question
Little league level:  if player is stealing from first to second, second baseman moves to bag but is standing in the basepath on first base side of bag about 4 feet away, runner slows and alters route, ball is thrown from catcher, fielder moves up to get ball (out of runner's path, but runner has already slowed and adjusted) fielder than receives ball, turns, and tags runner before runner's foot reaches bag.  Runner out or runner out but awarded second base due to obstruction???  Thanks.

Answer
Bruce,

First thing you need to remember:  obstruction and interference is a judgement call.  Which means that it is up to the umpire to decide whether the second baseman obstructed the runner.

If, in the umpire's judgement, the runner was obstructed (perfect definition of obstruction in Rule 2.00), then the umpire must determine where the runner would have advanced to SAFELY.  If a play is being made on the runner, the umpire calls time, and awards the base the runner would have received (which in your case would have been 2nd base).  

If there is no immediate play on the runner, the umpire acknowledges that it is obstruction (usually by pointing and saying "That's Obstruction") and lets the play continued.  Let's just say that the runner was obstructed going to 2nd base, but with no play on them, the umpire would acknowledge obstruction, and if the runner was tagged out going into 2nd, we would call time and award the base.  However, if the umpire feels that the runner would only reach 2nd base safely, and the runner gets tagged out after touching 2nd base safely, the runner is out (they advance at their own risk).

I hope this has answered your question.  Should you have anymore, please don't hesitate to ask!

-Martin Hoover