Under obstruction of a baserunner, a runner can be put out on appeal if the appeal is properly made and successful. Which statement describes this requirement?

• A. The batter is called out immediately.
• B. The defense may appeal properly and successfully.
• C. The umpire must call it.
• D. The batter must be at the plate.

Answer: (B)

When obstruction happens, the defender can still get a runner out, but only if they make a proper appeal and that appeal is successful. The out isn’t automatic from the obstruction call itself; it comes from a legal appeal that the runner missed or did not touch a base. If the defense correctly performs that appeal and the umpire approves, the runner can be ruled out on that appeal. The other statements aren’t the mechanism by which the out occurs: the batter doesn’t have to be called out immediately, the umpire doesn’t have to make the call for the out to happen through the appeal, and the batter’s presence at the plate isn’t a requirement for this particular outcome.