Maybe you saw the game on TV: San Francisco Giants vs. The Mets. With the score tied at 3's and the Mets with runners on 1st and 2nd the batter hit a single to left. Rounding third the Mets runner was forced to swerve to avoid the Giants third baseman. No physical contact, no dirt flying, just a nice clean case of "obstruction."

The call on the field was correct. Umpire Gary Daring pointed at the defensive player and said "That's Obstruction!" Play was allowed to continue and even a mighty on the money toss by Barry Bonds went for naught as home plate had already been awarded.

Unfortunately not one announcer managed to make the call right. Even the Associated Press reported that the game had been won on a "rare" instance of "defensive interference." Rare indeed, how about "non-existent."

If the announcers and their highly trained support staffs cannot sort the rules, how can we expect the spectators, the players, the coaches or even many of the umpires to know the breakdown of the rules.

Let's make the obvious distinction first: when an infraction is made the umpire will point at the offending player and

• if made by the defense call "THAT'S OBSTRUCTION!"
• if made by the offense call "THAT'S INTERFERENCE!"

"That's Interference! Time!"

Interference is any act by the offense that "interferes with, obstructs, impedes, hinder or confuses any fielder attempting to make a play." (2.00) Do not confuse this with a true case of "defensive interference", commonly seen as catcher's interference, in which the batter is prevented from hitting the ball by a fielder. Also it should not be confused with umpire or spectator interference. Those infractions are not part of this discussion. Here we are dealing exclusively with an act, accidental or intentional, on the part of the offense.

It is important to note that any interference call relies strictly on the umpire's judgment. The umpire must not only see the infraction but have a clear knowledge of the rule and it's application to apply it properly. An umpire will not be too quick to call interference either. Consider, a fly ball hit in the infield between first and second base. The runner at first tangles with the first base man. The second base man settles under the ball and catches it. This is not interference. Interference must by definition involve a "fielder attempting to make a play." The play was easily handled by the second base man. The ball is not dead, play continues.

Many examples of interference exist. In a simplified form they are:

• being hit by a fair batted ball (5.09f) (6.08d) (7.08f) (7.09m)
• hitting a ball for a second time (6.05h) (7.09b)
• deflecting a foul ball intentionally (6.05i) (7.09c)
• interfering with a fielder attempting to catch a thrown ball, or to throw a ball (6.05m)
• with two out, while attempting to steal home, the ball touches the runner (6.05n)
• the batter interferes with the catcher's fielding or throwing in a play attempt on a runner (6.06c)
• interfering with a thrown ball (7.08b) or the fielder (7.09l)
• interfering with a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball (7.08b) (7.09l)
• interfering with a fielder making a play at home base (7.09d)
• the runner attempts to score on a play in which the batter interferes with the play at home (7.08g)
• on strike three the runner interferes with a catcher's attempt to field the ball (7.09a)
• attempting to confuse, hinder or make any catch, fielding or play difficult. (7.09e) (7.09f)
• attempting to break up a double play (7.09g) (7.09h)
• third base coach assisting the runner (7.09i) or creates confusion (7.09j)
• failing to run in the three-foot lane when required (7.09k)
• failure to vacate any space (including dugouts) need by a fielder attempting to field a batted or thrown ball (7.11)

And if it is not the third out the runners are going back to their original bases as well! The formula for calling who out when can get a touch complicated when the plate is involved: the runner can go. the batter can go. Who goes first depends on the game situation. Similarly, the runner must avoid a BATTED ball, a thrown ball is also a totally different item. As long as the runner does not intentionally interfere with a thrown ball there is no interference call.

One aspect often considered "interference" is simply a "wreck," a collision. The fielder is converging on the ball, the runner is converging on the base, bump. Each player was well within their rights. There is no intentional malice on the part of each player, no changing course or establishing a position blocking the basepath. This is often interpreted as the erroneous "he has to slide doesn't he(?)" rule. If the runner does not slide he must make an effort to avoid the fielder, to get out of the way. If the runner does not make an effort, and in the process impedes the fielder, it is interference.

Finally, the batter's box protects no one. If the batter has swung at a pitch he is obligated to make every effort possible not to impede or hinder the catcher. The batter's box is not a "safety zone." If the batter confuses or hampers the catcher on any possible play the call is "Time! That's Interference!" One of the classics is the swing that carries the batter "over the plate" conveniently allowing the runner to advance to second. If that batter does that every time he swings you had better get him some hitting instruction. If he did it for the first time on the steal, read my signs! If the runner was not attempting to score the batter is out, the ball is dead. The runner returns. If the runner was attempting to score before two are out it is bye-bye to the runner. Batter, back in the box.

"That's Obstruction!"

Obstruction, found in rule 7.06, is always committed by the defense on a runner. In its simplest form it takes place when a runner is hindered or impeded while in "progress" running the base paths or touching any base. The umpire may be placed in a position of having to judge whether or not that fielder was "in the act of fielding a ball" when it comes to establishing "who should have been there" rights. This again brings in the key element: judgment.

There are two types of obstruction, depending on the status of the runner who is obstructed. If a play is being made on the runner we have a situation of "obstruction with play." If no play is being made we have "obstruction no play." In each case the umpire will point and clearly state "That's Obstruction!" (Note: some instructors teach that this call is not made with a loud voice but only a clear, audible voice. This is to avoid stopping the play.)

As we discuss obstruction we will use one common play situation:

With a runner on third (R3), the fielders are playing in when the ball is hit. The third baseman (F5) turns and clearly steps into the runner from third. The umpire points and signals 'That's Obstruction.'

"When there is no play on the runner"

The umpire will allow play to continue until it reaches a natural conclusion: a delayed dead ball. At that point, in the discretion of the umpire bases are awarded to attempt negate the effects of the obstruction. Once this obstruction call is made assume the runner is protected until the base they are attempting to go to.

Let's work with our example: BR hits a clean single to right field. R3 gets up and touches home plate without incident. The call? Nothing, everything stands as normal.

What if BR hit a sharp grounder to the shortstop who threw to first in time to retire him? As long as R3 scores, there is no further call or correction to be made.

In each case the proper "delayed dead ball" was allowed to unfold.

"When there is a play on the runner"

Again the umpire clearly signaled obstruction but now the play is complicated by an attempt to retire the runner being obstructed. In this case the ball will immediately be ruled dead with the obstruction call, in fact the umpire probably called "Time! That's Obstruction!"

Working with our example here is one scenario: BR bunts and F5 charges the ball scooping it up. In an attempt to swipe tag R3 he actually trips the runner, completes the tag and then throws to first in time to retire BR. Place the runners?

By calling the obstruction the umpire clearly indicated that the actions of the fielder were at fault. R3 is awarded home. The ball is dead so the throw to first is not recorded. Score the run E5 and award the batter first base on the error.

It is also an immediate dead ball if a batter, having hit a ground ball, is obstructed going to first base. On a pop-fly call the obstruction but do not call time until the ball is caught or not-caught. If the ball is caught play continues. If the ball is not caught you will call time and award bases accordingly.

"Now for the test!"

Question #1

Your Problems ....

1. Does the umpire signal the play dead?
2. Place the runners if
   1. BR has not reached first before the obstruction
   2. BR has rounded first before the obstruction
   3. BR has stopped at first and simultaneous to the call moves off to second base?
3. How would your answers to #2 change if your answer to #1 was reversed?

"The correct answer lies only in your judgment!"

1) Does the umpire signal the play dead?

Yes, you signal the play dead if:

- you are convinced that a play was being made on R3 and F2's actions deliberately or accidentally obstructed the runner clear approach to the plate. In a worse case scenario you will recognize this situation because R3 is probably lying on the ground significantly winded from the forearm he took to the chest. F2, who had the ball in his other hand, displayed a knowledge of a hip check usually reserved for hockey. F2's actions were not part of fielding the ball but an attempt to block R3's progress so that a tag could be possibly made. The timing here is tight.

No, you allow the play to continue if:

- there was no chance at a play. You called obstruction well before F6 even threw. You are convinced that F2 was not moving to play, or was not playing the ball at the time of the obstruction, after all, it was the fourth time you warned him about blocking the baseline. You will allow play to continue even as long as it takes the batter-runner to circle all the bases and score. No one has called "time" it is a "live ball."

2) What about the batter-runner?

In a dead ball situation you are going to make the call. If the batter has not reached first base he/she will be awarded first base. If the batter rounded first and was on his way to second, award the batter second base. If he/she stopped on first base and watched the play unfold before commencing to second almost coincidental to the obstruction call you can make your own choice. There will be less yelling if you leave the batter at first base.

Question #2

Nothing! The runners "progress" was not impeded. Yes, I would make certain he is not tagged out on the way back to the bag but the runner gets second base and not one foot more.

Question #3

Trick question ... judgment call! You would call "Out" if you believe the runner deliberately moved off the baseline to create the collision. You call "Time! That's Obstruction!" and award third base if you believe the runner was attempting to avoid the third baseman who impeded the runner's progress to third base.

Next time the first baseman stops the progress of your runner rounding the base you are going to say "Mr. Umpire, wasn't that ......(think carefully now!) (-: big grin :-)

Still calling them as I see them,

PS: Later we'll discuss what the 'balk' in this year's World Series (1996) was actually called for. The announcers were wrong on that call too!

... written December 6, 1996

Additional Notes

He also added "on interference: With coach's interference (grabbing his runner, etc.), you don't always kill the ball right away. According to Umpire Development, if a fly ball is in the air at the time of the interference you allow the ball to be caught (or dropped) and then enforce the penalty; you don't take a DP away from the defense in this case. If the ball does drop in the field of play, you just enforce the penalty."