The Two Types of Obstruction
Type 1 Obstruction On July 30, 2023 the Marlins hosted the Tigers at loanDepot Park. In the bottom of the sixth, Marlins’ baserunner Jon Berti stole second and advanced to third when Brendan White’s pitch got by catcher Jake Rogers. Berti continued to run to third but Rogers’ throw to third put Berti in a…
The difference between Type 1 and Type 2 obstruction
Definition of Obstruction Obstruction is a fancy term for defensive interference. It 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.” Also, contact and intent are not required for the rule to be…
Lodged Ball Overturned by Replay
The A’s hosted the Rangers on July 22nd. In the bottom of the second, the A’s had Sky Bolt on second base and Tony Kemp on first with one out when Vimael Machin hit a drive to right field. The ball got stuck under the wall, but Rangers’ right fielder Elier Hernandez played the ball….
Catcher’s Interference: A Potential Game-Changing Decision for a Manager
Perhaps the most impactful catcher’s interference call of the 2020 season occurred in the deciding game of the White Sox vs. A’s series in Oakland. With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth, Tommy La Stella was batting for the A’s with Sean Murphy on first base and two outs when La…
The New MLB Intentional Walk Rule
The new MLB intentional walk rule has had little effect on the overall length of major league games. It was not a particularly bold move, but it does represent a changing of the mindset of those decision makers to speed up the pace of play. The estimated time shaving is around 35 seconds per game….