QUIZ ADVANCED

OBR ADVANCED RULES QUIZ

This quiz kicks things up a notch. While some questions can be answered using things you've learned in the Rules Resource, other questions rely on excerpts from the OBR rulebook that are not on this website. This is designed to point you toward obscure yet important rules. Read the situation closely.

DEFINITIONS

R1: Runner on first base at time of the pitch

R2: Runner on second base at time of the pitch

R3: Runner on third base at time of the pitch

Batter: Offensive player in his legal position in the batter’s box.

Batter-Runner: The offensive player who has just finished his time at bat until he is put out or until the play on which he became a runner ends.

Pitcher: Pitcher

F: Fielders 2 through 9

1 - Which of the following statements is true about obstruction?

a. The offense can be guilty of obstruction.

b. A player holding the ball can be guilty of obstruction.

c. Obstruction always carries a mandatory minimum one-base award.

d. None of the above.

Answer: D, none of the above.

The defense commits obstruction. A player holding the ball is protected. Obstruction does not always carry a minimum one-base award. There are instances where obstruction occurs away from the ball and the umpires place runners based on where they would have ended up if the obstruction hadn't taken place. If the umpire determines the runner would not have reached the next base, he will not be given a one-base award.

2 - With R2 on second, F6 attempts to field a ground ball. The ball hits off the heel of F6's glove, and goes several feet behind him. R2, who was running behind F6, then runs into F6 who has taken three steps in chasing down the ball.

a. Obstruction should be called.

b. Interference should be called.

c. No call necessary, play on.

d. I'd have to be there to see it and judge, but I have to call something.

Answer: A, obstruction should be called.

F6 had the opportunity to field the ball, committed an error, and is no longer protected by the offensive interference rule.

3 - With the score tied in the bottom of the last inning and runners at second and third, the pitcher bounces a two-out, 3-2 pitch off the catcher's shin guard and the ball rolls into a dead ball area.

a. R3 is awarded home. R2 is awarded third. The batter is awarded first base on ball four and the game is concluded.

b. R3 and R2 are awarded home and the game is concluded.

c. The batter is awarded first base and the game continues with two outs.

d. Each runner is awarded two bases from the time of the pitch, when a pitched or thrown ball (pickoff attempt) by the pitcher from his position on the rubber goes into any dead ball area.

Answer: A, R3 is awarded home

This is a pitched ball from the rubber that has deflected off the catcher and gone out of play, which is a one-base award for all runners.

4 - With the bases loaded, R3 attempts to score on a wild pitch. The ball bounces off the wall behind home plate and directly back to the catcher. In the ensuing rundown, R3 is obstructed by F5. At the time of the obstruction, both R1 and R2 were attempting to advance, but had not yet reached the next base.

a. The ball is delayed-dead. Play continues and obstruction will be penalized at the end of the rundown.

b. The ball is dead immediately. Since R1 and R2 hadn't advanced, they are returned to their bases at the time of the pitch.

c. The ball is delayed-dead. R3 is awarded home, but R1 and R2 are not awarded anything and are still subject to being put out.

d. The ball is dead immediately. R3 is awarded home and R1 and R2 are awarded the bases the umpires believe would have been obtained without the obstruction.

Answer: D

When a play is being attempted on an obstructed runner, the play is immediately dead and that runner is given an automatic award to his next base. The runners away from the ball are placed at the umpire's discretion.

5 - R2, R3, one out. The batter hits a ground ball to the pitcher and R3 gets into a rundown between home and third. R3 gets back to third safely but R2 is touching the base as well. The defense tags both runners.

a. R3 is out because once he headed for home the base belongs to the trail runner.

b. R3 is out because he was the first player tagged.

c. R3 is safe and R2 is out because R3 has the right to third base until he touches home.

d. R2 is out because he was the second one tagged.

Answer: C

During the play, R3 was not forced to home. See THE BASE PATH.

6 - R2 is breaking on the pitch. Batter hits a ball between third and short. F5 moves to field the ball but it passes through his legs, untouched. As F6 reaches to grab the ball, R2 bumps into F6 who is in the base path. R2 is safe at third and Batter-Runner is safe at first.

a. Interference is called only if the umpire judges F6 could have fielded the ball.

b. R2 is out.

c. The play stands.

d. B1 is out.

Answer: A

See OFFENSIVE INTERFERENCE and OBSTRUCTION.

7 - R1, R2, R3, one out. Batter doubles. R2 misses third base. After touching home plate, R2 realizes his mistake and starts back to third base after both R3 and R1 have touched home. R2 makes it safely back to third.

a. R2 is called out before R1 crosses the plate and no runs score.

b. R2 is called out after playing action has ended and no runs score.

c. R2 is called out on proper appeal and two runs score.

Answer: C

RULE 5.09(c)(2) APPROVED RULING: No runner may return to touch a missed base after a following runner has scored.

8 - R1, R3, no outs. Batter attempts to bunt but pops the ball up. R1 is stealing on the pitch. R3 is not stealing. The bunted ball is near home plate. As the catcher moves out to catch the pop-up, the Batter-Runner advancing to first base unintentionally bumps the catcher causing him to drop the pop-up. The umpire believes the catcher would have had a chance to double-up R1 if he had not dropped the ball.

a. Call the batter out and call R1 out for the interference.

b. Call B4 out, call R3 out and return R1 to first base.

c. Call the batter out and return all runners to the base they occupied at the TOP.

d. Since there was no intent by B4, the play stands.

Answer: D

Rule 6.01(a)(10) Comment: When a catcher and batter-runner going to first base have contact when the catcher is fielding the ball, there is generally no violation and nothing should be called.

*This may be an unfair question without seeing the actual play in question, but we want to highlight this rule.

9 - With a runner on second, Batter swings at a pitch in the dirt and misses it for strike three. Both runners begin to advance. F2's throw hits Batter-Runner who is outside the running lane and Batter-Runner is safe at first.

a. No violation. B1 is safe and R2 remains at third.

b. B1 is out and R2 must return to second.

c. B1 is out. If R2 was stealing third, he could remain there.

Answer: B

See RUNNER'S LANE and OFFENSIVE INTERFERENCE. Because the batter-runner is guilty of interference before reaching first base, all runners return to the bases they occupied at the time of the pitch.

10 - With the bases loaded and two out, Batter hits a long fly ball toward the right-field fence. R1 is not sure if the ball will go over the fence, so he goes halfway to second and watches the ball. Meanwhile Batter-Runner, running at full speed, passes R1. When that occurs, only R3 has touched the plate.

a. No runs score.

b. One run scores.

c. Three runs score.

d. Four runs score unless an appeal is made.

Answer: B

See THE BASE PATH. The "illegal passing" on the base path is an immediate out and is a time play.

11 - With a runner on first and Batter at the plate, Pitcher balks and throws wild as he attempts to pick off R1. F3 retrieves the wild throw, and R1 is eventually thrown out at third base.

a. R1 is out.

b. R1 is placed at second.

c. R1 is entitled to third.

d. Enforce the balk. B1 is awarded first.

Answer: A

See BASE AWARDS.

APPROVED RULING: In cases where a pitcher balks and throws wild, either to a base or to home plate, a runner or runners may advance beyond the base to which he is entitled at his own risk.

On this play, R1 was only "protected" up to second base. After that, he is on his own.

12 - With a runner on first and one out, Pitcher balks as he attempts to pick off R1. F3 misses the throw and the ball rolls along the fence in live-ball territory. R1 is able to score on the play, but misses second base. The ball is returned to the infield and F6 immediately makes an appeal at second base.

a. The balk is ignored.

b. R1 is returned to second.

c. R1 is out.

d. R1's score stands.

Answer: C

See RULE 6.02(a) in the OBR rulebook.

APPROVED RULING: In cases where a pitcher balks and throws wild, either to a base or to home plate, a runner or runners may advance beyond the base to which he is entitled at his own risk. A runner who misses the first base to which he is advancing and who is called out on appeal shall be considered as having advanced one base for the purpose of this rule.

While the wording seems like a mouthful at first, it is saying that even though R1 misses the base he's entitled to, for the purposes of the "advancing beyond the base at his own risk" rule, he is still considered to have "reached" that base during the play. Without this rule in place, the umpire would have to acknowledge he missed the base on the defense's appeal, call him out for the missed base, but then have to wipe out all those rulings and award him second base anyway because of the balk. This is a very clever (and necessary) clarification in OBR.

13 - Bases loaded and 2 outs. Batter hits a home run but misses first base. A legal appeal is made.

a. 4 runs score.

b. 3 runs score.

c. 2 runs score.

d. 1 run scores.

e. No runs score.

Answer: E

See APPEAL PLAYS. The batter-runner did not reach first safely on the play, and that appeal is the third out.

14 - Bases loaded and 2 outs. Batter hits a home run. R2 misses home plate. A legal appeal is made.

a. 4 runs score.

b. 3 runs score.

c. 2 runs score.

d. 1 run scores.

e. No runs score.

Answer: D

See APPEAL PLAYS. R2's only force-out is at third base, so the force-out rule does not apply.

15 - With runners on second and third and one out, Batter hits a liner into left center. R2 and R3 score, but R2 misses third base. Batter-Runner gets to second base, but misses first. The defense appeals both infractions. They first appeal Batter-Runner missing first base and then appeal R2 missing third base.

a. The order of appeals does not matter in this case.

b. Double play, the innings is over, no runs can score.

c. R3 scores.

d. The defense is only allowed one appeal.

Answer: C

The order of appeals does matter. When multiple appeals are available, the defense always wants the third out to be either a force-out on the original play or the batter-runner not reaching first base safely.

16 - R1. The hit-and-run is on. Batter hits a sharp ground ball to F6 who flips to F4 in an attempt to retire R1. The throw is late. F4 then throws wildly to first base and the ball goes out of play as Batter-Runner reaches first base.

a. R1 is awarded third and B2 is awarded second.

b. R1 is awarded third and B2 stays at first.

c. R1 is awarded home and B2 is awarded thrid.

d. R1 is awarded home and B2 is awarded second.

Answer: D

The ball thrown out of play was not the first throw from an infielder, in which case two-base awards are applied to all runners from their last legally occupied base at the time the ball was thrown. In this case, R1 was standing on second base and the Batter-Runner had yet to reach first base. R1 is awarded two bases and scores. Batter-Runner is awarded two bases and ends up at second base.

17 - R1 is running on the pitch. Batter hits a line drive to F9 who makes the catch and fires the ball back to first. The throw is wild and goes into the dugout, out of play. R1 was standing on second base when F9 threw wildly and then returned to first base as the ball went out of play.

a. R1 is awarded third since the award is two bases from the last base he legally occupied.

b. R1 is awarded home since he legally occupied second base at the time of the throw.

c. R1 is awarded second base since the award is the base he is going to (back to first base) plus one.

Answer: B

At the time of the throw, R1 was standing on second base. He is given a two-base award from his last legally occupied base. Umpires never call to attention base-running mistakes by the runners.

18 - R1 is running on the pitch. B2 swings and misses at a 2-1 pitch. His follow-through carries him over the plate and the umpire calls interference. The catcher's throw goes into CF. R1 is thrown out at third.

a. The play stands and B2 now has a 2-2 count.

b. Since B2 is out for the interference, this is a double play.

c. Delayed dead ball. As soon as the catcher's initial throw did not retire R1 time is called. R1 is called out due to the batter's interference and the batter stays in the box with a 2-2 count.

d. Delayed dead ball. As soon as the catcher's initial throw failed to retire R1 time is called. B2 is called out on the interference and R1 is returned to first.

Answer: D

RULE 6.03(a)(3) Comment: If, however, the catcher makes a play and the runner attempting to advance is put out, it is to be assumed there was no actual interference and that runner is out – not the batter. Any other runners on base at the time may advance as the ruling is that there is no actual interference if a runner is retired.

19 - B1, B2 and B3 are due to bat. B2 bats for B1 and singles. B1 then bats and sacrifices B2 to second for the first out. B3 then hits a home run. Before a pitch is thrown to B4, the defense appeals that B3 batted out of order.

a. B3 is out and B2 is the proper batter.

b. B1 is declared out and B2 is the proper batter.

c. B2 is declared out and B1 is the proper batter.

d. B3 was a proper batter. B2 should have been the proper batter, but he was skipped over because he was on base. B3 became the correct batter and his home run counts. B4 is the next proper batter.

Answer: D

See Batting Out of Turn in OBR. An improper batter (B2) bats and reaches base or is out and no appeal is made before a pitch to the next batter (B1), or before any play or attempted play, that improper batter is considered to have batted in proper turn and establishes the order that is to follow.

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