134 replies to this topic

[russsnyder]

10-3 good guys!

[Mike B]

The Orioles win again and are in a play off spot on 8-12-22.

I have to check but I think I predicted it.

[Pedro Cerrano]

With today's win, the Baltimore Orioles are alone in the 3rd Wild Card spot.

They've moved into 3rd place in the AL East and have the highest win% in the American League since the All Star Break (.650)

HT Alex Fast

[85Knight]

Hopefully we can stay close and steal one late against their bullpen.

Damn was I "wrong" tonight.

[Slidemaster]

Unbelievable.

They just don't quit.

[Chris B]

Third place in the division y’all

[NewMarketSean]

I love kicking the shit out of the Rays. We aren’t your welcome mat anymore. Get used to it.

[dude]

Good win.

[mdrunning]

Tough matchup Saturday with Shane McClanahan pitching for Tampa.

[hallas]

The rule just says "interferes with the fielder taking the throw". I don't know how it's advised to umps to call it, but I think you could stretch the meaning to include the throw being errant because it's trying to avoid the runner and thus the fielder can't field it. If the umps are taught specifically to not interpret it that way, which sounds like you're reading may be the case, then it'd still be open to the judgement of what throws are plausibly fieldable and what aren't.

All of it is avoided if the runner just runs in the right spot.

The Rays telecast had a better camera angle that showed him to be clear to the inside of the foul line, but despite this, their announcers seemed to be really sympathetic to Vavra here.  They made a good point that it's physically almost impossible to run in the runner's lane to first base, and then subsequently run through the bag in such a way that you are running foul after you pass the bag so as to not be liable to be tagged out like Trey Mancini was earlier in the year.  The bag is in fair territory, yet you have to be in foul territory to stay in the runner's lane, and then you have to be traveling toward foul territory to be safe as you run through the bag.  They also made the obvious point about the play prior that went uncalled with the Rays runner.

 

This is still a shit call, because it was close, and you shouldn't make this call if it's close.  I guess I sort of agree with you that you should be running in the right spot, but given how that interferes with running through the bag it's a really fine line.  Vavra was clear to the inside, but it wasn't by much, certainly not enough that he was the primary reason the ball wasn't caught.  The ball wasn't caught because Kluber threw it to Narnia.

 

Really the rule needs to be clarified to either make it workable with the run-through-the-bag rule, or to narrow it down to the intent of the rule, which is to make it so the fielder has a safe throwing lane on a ball up the first base line.  I don't really feel like the runner impeded a safe throwing lane in either case, so it should have been a no-call in both situations.

[Mackus]

You don't have to be in foul territory, or turning towards foul, after you run through the bag. You just can't make any motion or turn towards second base.

I agree there is something that should be changed to make the rule more reasonable. The whole dirt area of the baseline should be part of the legal path for the runner, giving a more standard +/- 3 feet to run.

[russsnyder]

You don't have to be in foul territory, or turning towards foul, after you run through the bag. You just can't make any motion or turn towards second base.

I agree there is something that should be changed to make the rule more reasonable. The whole dirt area of the baseline should be part of the legal path for the runner, giving a more standard +/- 3 feet to run.

I would recommend to any amateur player to belly out to foul territory after crossing the bag. It's amazing how many amateur umps love to call guys out when they are tagged out after running straight through the bag. Take away the shadow of doubt. These umps love to be seen for their pet calls.

The running lane (from 45'on in the first base line) is in fact three feet wide. Technically, the only step a runner can make outside of the lane is the final step to the bag. I don't think there needs to be an extension of the running lane, umpires simply need to use better judgement on calls like last night.

[Mackus]

I'd recommend any amateur ump to know the rules.

[russsnyder]

I'd recommend any amateur ump to know the rules.

I'd recommend to any amateur ump that they don't draw attention to themselves by making a BS call. The best umps are the ones that are essentially anonymous. Unfortunately, a lot of these guys want to shine.

[Mackus]

I'd recommend to any amateur ump that they don't draw attention to themselves by making a BS call. The best umps are the ones that are essentially anonymous. Unfortunately, a lot of these guys want to shine.

Bad judgement calls happen, even at the highest levels with incredibly well-trained umps. Things happen fast. Be in position and do the best you can. When you only have two or one ump, being in position can be tough or even impossible (tag up / leave early plays are the clearest example).

Not knowing the rules and basically making up your own or not enforcing the ones that exist is a bigger problem. If an ump is calling a runner out for "not turning right" after 1B and being in fair territory, that ump doesn't know the rules. Similarly so if that ump doesn't call a guy out who turns into foul, jukes towards second and then gets tagged. Getting infield fly rule wrong is one that always annoyed me, too, that should be easy. Not knowing where to place runners after a ball thrown out of play. Anytime a coach said "base you're going to plus one" I knew I was gonna have a problem. What's weird is the guys that don't know the rules are the ones that tended to argue the most. Double down on their ignorance rather than simply admit they don't know.

[CantonJester]

The Vavra situation was technically called correctly, but only because the case could be made he was impeding the arrival of the ball while he was out of the baseline. Vavra would’ve been more obviously out had he hit a dribbler up the first baseline and the catcher/pitcher had to throw around him while he was running to the L of the baseline. What’s odd is Vavra bats lefty and he was still outside the baseline. That’s usually a righty’s problem, no?

[russsnyder]

Bad judgement calls happen, even at the highest levels with incredibly well-trained umps. Things happen fast. Be in position and do the best you can. When you only have two or one ump, being in position can be tough or even impossible (tag up / leave early plays are the clearest example).

Not knowing the rules and basically making up your own or not enforcing the ones that exist is a bigger problem. If an ump is calling a runner out for "not turning right" after 1B and being in fair territory, that ump doesn't know the rules. Similarly so if that ump doesn't call a guy out who turns into foul, jukes towards second and then gets tagged.

That call last night was one of the worst judgement calls I have seen at the MLB level. Quite frankly, it was embarrassing. It had nothing to do with bad positioning or anything else you mentioned. It was horseshit. On the plus side, I think taking the run off the board lit a fire under the Orioles.

Once again, I know the rules. I'm simply pointing out some things that I have observed watching my son play High School and Legion ball. There seems to be "pet calls" that they'll make. Usually, to draw attention to themselves. I will say that when my son played college ball, the umpiring was much better. (Extremely consistent.) In contrast, I don't remember any major difference between the umpires when I played amateur,high school, and college ball years ago. I think these umps watch too much TV or something.

[Mackus]

If the "pet calls" are being enforced according to the rules, then they need to be called. Call the game according to the rules. That's it's. That's the job. You don't make up other rules and you don't selectively ignore rules.

[russsnyder]

If the "pet calls" are being enforced according to the rules, then they need to be called. Call the game according to the rules. That's it's. That's the job. You don't make up other rules and you don't selectively ignore rules.

The "pet calls" I'm talking about were not correct calls. In most cases, they just want to make them to put their stamp on the game. As a coach, I have been told that they won't make certain calls either. (Such as a hitter being out of the box when they make contact.)

[You Play to Win the Game]

There are way too many rules in baseball. Way too many judgement calls. Shouldn’t be this complicated.