This is an alphabetical list of selected unofficial and specialized terms, phrases, and other. Rule 1 circuits a conditions to relocation to another clubs territory. The 2014 revision to the official baseball rules, in renumbering the rules, has disposed of the timehonored type a and type b obstruction. Synonyms for restriction at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Pretty gutsy call by the mlb umpire on a game ending play. Obstruction calls almost invariably involve accidental contact. That same year, the casebook note was added which established that the catcher had no right to block the pathway of the runner attempting to score unless he had the ball in his possession or was in the act of. He claims there exists a big difference in the interpretation of the obstruction rule between college and the prosmbl. The obstruction rule was completely revamped in 1962. That is, in little league a fake tag can be considered obstruction, but it is never considered such beyond high. The baseball rule was devised in the early part of the 20th century when baseball was played at a much slower pace, said martin w. In no event shall bases be run because of such interference see rule 6. Obstruction describes an act by a fielder, who is not in possession of the ball or in the process of fielding it, that impedes the baserunners progress.
Obstruction does not require contact, just that it impedes the runner. It is catchers interference when the catcher physically hinders the batters. Weve backed wests, despite acknowledging that the dragons are typically fast starters before their annual post. Another important point is that there does not need to be physical contact to have obstruction. Baseball rule protects ballparks from lawsuits the boston. In baseball, when a fielder illegally hinders a baserunner, the fielder is guilty of obstruction. Obstruction and the related base awards and amount of protection always seem to be confusing on the field and in the classroom whenever discussing the rule.
When all play stops, enforcement depends on the final play outcome. It is worth noting that the latter is also incorrectly used to refer to fan obstruction for instance a spectator running onto the field and tackling a. There is a twist, however, because while obstruction only affects base runners, spectator interference affects the defense. Baserunners are generally permitted to run from base to base without being physically blocked or hindered by a fielder. Major league baseball players on the disabled list, while permitted on the. How this manual can start you along the path of becoming a complete and solid rules umpire. Apr 27, 2008 obstruction and the related base awards and amount of protection always seem to be confusing on the field and in the classroom whenever discussing the rule. The obstructed runner shall be awarded at least one base beyond the base he had last legally touched before the obstruction. Text of mlb obstruction rule cited in world series fox sports. The mlb obstruction rule that ended game 3 for the win.
When a play is being made on an obstructed runner, the umpire shall signal obstruction in the same manner that he calls time, with both hands overhead. Obstruction is an act by which the defensive team impedes the batting team from advancing around the bases section 2. Louis ap text of major league baseballs obstruction rules, cited by third base umpire jim joyce in the ninth inning of game 3 in the world series on saturday night. This is referred to as protecting the runner to a base.
Their squad looks as good as ever, and we still rate them a top 4 even top 2 talent. A comprehensive reorganization and interpretation, a manual and textbook by chris jaksa and rick roder, and other publications aimed at facilitating the understanding of baseball rules. Let me start with some very basic definitions to avoid confusion as you read the rest of the article. Visit our frequently asked questions section to find solutions for your issues. Dont worry if you get some or even many of these questions wrong.
Thirdbase umpire jim joyce called obstruction and the rest is history. Today, we will cover obstruction and interference and the difference between them. This revision produced the exact wording of todays professional baseball rule. In baseball, the fourth out is a legal out made by the defense after three outs in a halfinning already have been made. Rule changes are underlined in this edition of the official baseball rules. Healy, chief legal counsel for the massachusetts bar association. Obstruction and interference are rule violations that occur in the field of play, typically involving base runners. Baseball rule protects ballparks from lawsuits the.
Infield fly rule october 5, 2012 an infield fly is a fair fly ball not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, orfirst, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. Obstruction is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. Interference and obstruction rulings interference is a broad rule book term that refers to a number of illegal actions that occur during a contest to change the course of the game. Official rule and does not require a reader to refer to different sections of the official baseball rules book in considering the application of a particular rule. Rules baseball is an intricate game with plenty of unique characteristics, and major league baseball has many rules, regulations and standards governing its onfield practices. The first baseman was in the base path obstructing the runners easy return. Winning a game means you have outscored your opposition through the 9 innings played. In the simplest of terms, interference is a penalty. The two different obstruction rules type a and type b came to life this past week. Umpires may call a strike if a batter misses three legitimate pitches or fails to swing at 3 pitches judged hittable. May 15, 2014 2014 official rules of major league baseball triumph books on. According to the rules, the third out does not cause the ball to become dead. Here is a look at five of the strangest rules that are somehow still.
In baseball, obstruction is when a fielder illegally hinders a baserunner running within the basepath. For years, cosells staccato voice was synonymous with the nflwhether you loved. Synonyms for limitation at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. In the situation you describe with the shortstop and the runner off second, i dont see an obstruction call. The only time that a fielder is not obligated to get out of the way of a baserunner is when the fielder is fielding a hit ball or in possession of the ball. Major league baseball will impose stricter limits on mound visits, and commercial breaks will be shorter. Obstruction refers to a fielder who hinders a runner. We want to bring you the most uptodate, informative and exciting baseball information. Observe the obstruction and allow the play to continue. Awarding bases when there is spectator interference 6.
There is a pair of noun synonyms that are used commonly enough to have gained entry into abridged. The rule against obstruction was first formalized as part of the 1856 version of the national association of base ball players rules. North dallas forty, published in 1973, was one of a handful of books by. I spoke with an umpire yesterday about the obstruction rule. C collected the ball and threw to p who tagged r3, and r3 was ruled out. Synonyms for barrier at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. Always wanted a complete major league baseball rule book, and this is it. The radio announcers seemed to think that p had blocked the plate before having the ball, in violation of the newly instituted rule 7. As well, there are different rules for obstruction, and they are applied differently at different levels. Obstruction and interference little league umpiring. For example in the pros according to this ump you can block the plate waiting for a ball in flight, however in college you can only block the plate with the ball in your hand. The rule book still uses the term bench, as there is no requirement that it be. How jaksa and roder have remedied the many problems with baseballs rules.
The obstruction rule bans unsanctioned collisions on the basepaths by preventing defensive players from blocking the passage of the baserunners. Some of the rules seem crazy and the history behind them would be a great addition to this book. Oct 31, 2016 18 weird baseball rules americas pastimes a weird sport ok. The manual was developed by instructors at the joe brinkman umpire school over the course of fifteen years, and is the only total rewrite of baseballs rules to. While umpiring at the 2014 spanish fork halloween havoc tournament 10u girls fast pitch championship game the runner rounded first and headed towards second base. Text of major league baseballs obstruction rules, cited by. As a baseball fan, i thought i knew everything about how the rules of the game, but i wasnt aware of the details of the obstruction rule and its background before researching this article. Louis ap text of major league baseballs obstruction rules, cited by third base umpire jim joyce in the ninth inning of game 3 in the world series on.
The pdf baseball rule book covers the officiating role and responsibilities of officials. Synonyms for rule at with free online thesaurus, antonyms, and definitions. All portions of this particular page and the pages of the official major league rules book are sole property of major league baseball and have been reproduced without any alteration by baseball almanac who first obtained the written permission of the office of the commissioner. The play caused the nfl to adopt the socalled alzado rule, where the. Contact does not have to be made for the umpire to rule obstruction. Baseball rules and regulations simplified for beginners. Site glossary definitions from the little league rule book and terms used on this site. Penultimate definition of penultimate by merriamwebster.
Text of mlb obstruction rule cited in world series fox. The rules are the rules, but the print is way too small hard to read and could use more notes and comments from mlb. Decide at that time what base you believe the runner is likely to reach, had it not been for the obstruction. Jun 01, 2017 the rules are the rules, but the print is way too small hard to read and could use more notes and comments from mlb. The current language of the official rules was introduced in 1962. According to the official rule book, obstruction is defined as the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner. Amajorleagueclub,inordertorelocatewithinthehome territory of another major league club, must comply with the following conditions. When a spectator or other person not associated with one of the teams including such staff as bat boys or ball girls alters play in progress, it is spectator interference, colloquially called fan interference.
Authors note whats the obstruction rule in baseball. Heres the rulebook definition, found in definitions obstruction. If the runner collides flagrantly, heshe shall be declared safe due to obstruction but shall be ejected. Obstruction in high school baseball nfhs baseball umpires. Any reference in these official baseball rules to he, him, or his shall be deemed to be a reference to she, her, or hers, as the case may be, when the person is a female. Obstruction asa ruling does the runner automatically. Well, that kinda depends on which rulebook youre looking at, and more importantly, how you count rules as an example of what i mean. All portions of this particular page and the pages of the official major league rules book are sole property of major league baseball and have been reproduced without any alteration by baseball almanac who first obtained. Glossary rules rules baseball is an intricate game with plenty of unique characteristics, and major league baseball has many rules, regulations and standards governing its onfield practices.
The obstruction rule the latest nrl news, intelligent. It is the responsibility of the runner to avoid the fielder when the fielder is making a play on the ball. Major league baseballs 240page rule book is the sports version of the tax codefilled with obscurities that few understand. Interference can be committed by the team at the plate or the team in the field, as well as by players not even in the game at the time, an umpire, a fan, or another. If a play is being made on the obstructed baserunner, the ball is ruled dead and the umpire can place all runners on the base he determines they would have reached without the obstruction. Obstruction describes an act by a fielder, who is not in possession of the ball or in the process of fielding it, that impedes the. Obstruction definition of obstruction by the free dictionary. Case book material is printed in smaller type than the rule language and is labeled as comment. You can spit anywhere, literally anywhere, except on. Fully uptodate, this book contains the official and sanctioned mlb rules and their interpretations per the playing rules. What would happen if the obstruction rule had never been introduced at the turn of the century. The runner is safe and a delayed dead ball is signaled. Obstruction is an act by which the defensive team impedes the batting team from advancing around the bases. Also, the obstruction rule is not of the view that the storm are about to fall off a cliff.