PLATE COLLISIONS

PLATE COLLISIONS Was the contact the result of intentional excessive force? Was there intent to injure? The absence of these two conditions does not guarantee that malicious contact did not exist, they only provide a starting point for consideration! Umpires have the flexibility to judge witnessed contact as malicious or not. Umpire judgement should not be removed by rule but enhanced by education, game experience and field locations/mechanics. On collisions at the plate, it is no longer enough to get into great position to judge safe or out on the play. When hard contact occurs, it’s necessary to read the intent of the runner when he collides with the catcher. Was the runner making a legitimate attempt to reach the plate when the collision occurred? Or was he trying to dislodge the ball from the catcher’s possession? Was it possible for him to avoid contact with the catcher and still reach home plate

PLATE COLLISIONS In this circumstance, the runner has three options. He can attempt to avoid the tag by veering past the catcher and avoiding contact, he can make a legal slide in an attempt to reach the plate, or he can give himself up. If the catcher is not in possession of the ball he is liable to be called for obstruction. It is possible to have a crash between the runner attempting to score and the catcher at the plate without a penalty being applied to either player. NFHS rules place primary responsibility on the runner to avoid contact. Clues to the intent of the runner can be gleaned from his body posture as he approaches contact. If he has lowered his shoulder or is leading with extended arms at the upper part of the catcher’s body, you can conclude his intent is to dislodge the ball. As you move into position to take the play at the plate, it is important to glance at the runner as he is approaching the plate. If the catcher is in possession of the ball at the moment of the crash, he is protected from any obstruction penalty.

PLATE COLLISIONS The Rule Is: (A) Fielder in the base path with the ball in possession. Fielder can legally block the base (B) Fielder in the base path without the ball, but the ball is in motion and a play is probable. Fielder can be in the base path, but must provide the runner some access to the base (C) Fielder in the base path without the ball, and the ball is in motion but a play on the runner is not probable. Obstruction if the fielder hinders the runner or changes the pattern of the play CB 8.3.2 SITUATION I: …F2 cannot be in the baseline without the ball if it is not in motion and a probable play is not going to occur, nor can he be in the baseline without giving the runner access to home plate. There are 3 situations to consider: (A) Fielder in the base path with the ball in possession, (B) Fielder in the base path without the ball, but the ball is in motion and a play is probable, (C) Fielder in the base path without the ball, and the ball is in motion but a play on the runner is not probable.

PLATE COLLISIONS Under NFHS rules, defensive and offensive players are specifically forbidden from malicious contact. This creates the possibility of penalizing the defense if the catcher uses undue force while applying a tag in a collision on a defenseless runner who is trying to score. While most collisions occur on plays at the plate, the rule applies to all bases. A baserunner coming in with his spikes above the fielder’s knee, a rolling or cross-body block to a fielder can all be called as malicious contact. As soon as a collision has occurred, the plate umpire needs to be prepared to do more than simply make a ruling on the play. Be prepared for a coach to come out. Under NFHS rules, an obstruction violation by the catcher will be ignored if malicious contact by the runner occurs. Malicious contact supersedes obstruction.