Expert: Martin Hover - 9/20/2004

Question
The LL rules state that a defensive player may not obstruct a runners access to a base unless he or she has the ball in his or her possession.  There are some coaches in our league who teach their players to block the base and the umpires have tended to give them a lot of leeway in how and when the kids block the base.  How do you interpret this rule?

Answer
Doug,

The defensive player must give the player an opportunity to reach the base safely. For instance, if the catcher has his feet apart, and the plate is underneath him, the catcher does not have the ball, and the runner can slide and touch the plate, is cannot be considered obstruction, because the runner is given enough space to reach the base/plate.

However, if the catcher has his leg across the plate without the ball, to where if the runner is to slide, there is no possible way to touch the base, then the call would be obstruction, which would be a delayed dead ball, unless a play is being made upon the runner.

I hope this has helped you out!

-Martin