catchers position

Anonymous asked: My 12 year old hit a home run.

The ball was in the outfield as my son was leaving third base, heading for home.

The catcher was standing on home plate without the ball.

Is that considered obstruction? My son was then called out.


Rick answered: Thank you for your question.

I am a bit confused on the logistics of this situation.

Your description began with your son hitting a home run.

It should follow that he trots around the bases, there is no play to be made as the ball was hit out of the park.

If the catcher was standing on the plate, the only way your son could be called out would be because the umpire thought he deliberately ran into the catcher.

If the ball was an inside the park home run attempt, then the ball is live and in play. The catcher is not able to block the plate without the ball, so if there was contact at that point, it should have been on the catcher, if the ball was not in his possession. It would become a dead ball situation and the runner would be granted home plate.

I can think of no reason why the batter-runner would be called out, unless he initiated contact with the catcher.

Yours in baseball,

Rick