The Various Obstruction Plays in Baseball
Beginning 2024, pro rules (OBR, MLB) will no longer allow a fielder who is not in possession of the ball to block a base (1B, 2B, 3B) or impede a runner. It will be enforced similar to the Home Plate Collision Rule.
New Rule Explained Here:
https://baseballrulesacademy.com/obstruction-enforcement-at-all-bases-in-2024/
The video helps you understand everything about obstruction plays in baseball. This video first defines obstruction, shows an example of a fielder making a legal play in front of a runner, explains the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 obstruction and the ultimate case of obstruction when a fight breaks out while a player is rounding the bases after a home run!
Rich Marazzi
Rules consultant/analyst: Angels, D’backs, Dodgers, Nationals, Orioles, Padres, Phillies, Pirates, Red Sox, Rangers, Royals, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Yankees, Bally Sports, YES, and NBC Sports Chicago.
Very useful video that clears the obstruction types. I have a scoring question regarding Type 1 obstructions occuring in a rundown. The Type 1 obstruction is treated like a missed out error to the player who committed the obstruction. In fact, an error is charged to him. What about the assists that occurred before the obstruction. It seems to me that they should formally be attributed as assists, according to Rule 9.10(a)(1). Actually, the fielders “threw a thrown ball in such a way that a putout would have resulted except for a subsequent error by any fielder”. Is that correct?