Posted by: Ciret (vespidie@yahoo.com) on Fri Apr 12 12:46:26 2002

*I know this is a hitter's site, but I have an important fielding *question that nobody can seem to answer. Is the first baseman *allowed to block the bag on pickoff throws? For example, if he *straddles the bag, facing the pitcher, and puts down his right knee *to block the base. Is that obstruction/interference?
*Please tell me what you know of this rule. I've found little on the *net so far. Thanks.

According to the Official Rules of Major League Baseball, here is their definition of Obstruction:
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. If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered "in the act of fielding a ball." It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the "act of fielding" the ball. For example: an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner.

Rule 7.06 also addresses the obstruction issue. It's all basically a judgement call by the umpire.