Catcher's Obstruction


 
There is a runner on third base (R3), no outs, and the infielders are playing back (will trade an out for a run). On the pitch, the catcher reaches out across the plate. On the swing, the batter (B1) ticks the catcher's glove with his bat, but grounds the ball to the second baseman. B1 is thrown out at first base and R3 scores. The umpire may have one (or more) of these actions, but which ones:

a. Since the offense scored a run, ignore the batter's tip of the catcher's glove.
b. At the end of the play, return R3 to 3rd base.
c. At the end of the play, award B1 first base.
d. Announce "That's Obstruction" as soon as the batter ticks the catcher's glove.
e. Stop playing action as soon as the obstruction is observed.
f. At the end of the play, let the offensive coach choose between the result of the play and the obstruction penalty.

Call
If the batter-runner and all other runners advance on the catcher's obstruction, then the catcher's obstruction is ignored. In the situation below, the batter-runner did not make it safely to 1st base, so at the end of playing action, the obstruction penalty should be enforced. The batter should be awarded first base. Since R3 was not stealing home nor forced to advance to home, he should be returned to 3rd base.

This is one of the rare circumstances (I can think of only one other), when the offensive coach has a choice of taking the result of the play (one run scores and one out is recorded) or the result of the obstruction penalty (B1 is awarded 1st base and R3 is returned to 3rd base).

So, the answers below are: D, then C, then B, then F.