Comments on: What Happens to an Offensive Outburst Deferred?

By: jjmerlock

jjmerlock — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 19:03:16 +0000

I did, indeed, find that a simply bizarre explanation. Particularly in that the meat of his explanation wasn’t coverage of “how can we make sure this will not happen again.”

By: The Hawk

The Hawk — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 17:35:16 +0000

One other thing: The third base ump was completely out of position on the Swisher play. He could have and should have gotten up the third base line a bit so he could have both the runner and the fielder in view. We’ve seen this a thousand times.

I think he may have done it on purpose. To make up for the bad call at second, he needed to be in position to call Swisher out no matter what, which would be by necessity the incorrect position.

Did anyone see the post-game press conference when he said he “thought in [his] heart” that Swisher was out?

By: Horace Clarke Era

Horace Clarke Era — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:24:29 +0000

[85] Sets it up!

New Banterism for Jorge running on basepaths … Pomentum.

By: monkeypants

monkeypants — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:08:44 +0000

[67] and his momentum (sorry monkeypants) drove him past the bag.

Now that’s momentum I can believe in!

By: jjmerlock

jjmerlock — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:02:32 +0000

Whoa – just watching the replay now – didn’t have my feed up immediately – but didn’t Kazmir balk on that first pick off? He crossed the plane towards the outfield and then threw. As a long, long time ago lefty pitcher with a nasty pick off move and very little else (some kid hit a ball about 400 feet off of me when we were 12), that sure looked like a balk.

By: jjmerlock

jjmerlock — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:50:34 +0000

[80] I thought you would see it that way on a rewatch. The thing is – even with Cano off the bag (but still within tagging vicinity) – as the fielder, I still say your #1 responsibility is always the lead runner.

I think of “pickles” – which we drilled endlessly – as always involving the following:

1) every fielder needs to rush in to occupy a spot in the rotation

2) the essence of a pickle from a fielding perspective is a) always control the lead runner b) drive back and c) throw and rotate out, when appropriate

3) again, always avoid disaster, making sure that the worst case – the lead runner getting out and preceding to a further base or worse, home, never happens. This means being incredibly careful about entering any situation where the lead runner is not being driven back to the bag…

By: jjmerlock

jjmerlock — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:45:35 +0000

So… to get off of yelling at our two (unfathomably stupid) players, people may want to look back to my [49]. Because let’s not forget that the most unforgivable things that happened last night were performed by the men in charge of the game…

By: williamnyy23

williamnyy23 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:42:58 +0000

[76] I did ask that earlier in the thread. The replay shows him pointing at the bag and yelling at Cano. I don’t think he deserves blame.

By: williamnyy23

williamnyy23 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:41:10 +0000

[73] You’re right…just watched it on MLB.com. Napoli didn’t have a tag, so he played it right, although Cano was so far from the bag, he could have thrown the ball if he noticed it (which would be hard to do).

The amazing thing about Cano is he wasn’t inches off the bag…he was a couple of feet away. Also, his posture was that of an observer…not someone waiting to tocuh the base once he read the situation. Furthermore, after he was called safe, he walked off the bag again…and had to beat a second tag!

Awful all around for Cano.

By: flycaster

flycaster — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:39:46 +0000

[78] That’s for sure.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:37:19 +0000

[76] He had two dumb runners to track.

By: jjmerlock

jjmerlock — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:36:46 +0000

[70] There you add in the truly hilarious inspiration of running off, out of the baseline, into foul territory. If he wanted to give himself up, you should always do it heading back into the field of play and in the proper direction, so that at least the other team has to account for you and accept your hari-kiri. It’s so bad, it is kind of funny, and is the thing you can *almost* laugh about after a 10-1 win. But, of course, this series is not over, and if we win this, the next opponent is tenacious, so the stupidity has a frightening component to it.

By: flycaster

flycaster — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:36:34 +0000

Has it occurred to anyone else to wonder what the heck our 3rd base coach (who is he, anyway?) was doing on the Robby/Po brainfart play? I mean, does he feel that he has ANY purpose out there, besides enjoying his front row seat? In my playing days, any 3rd base coach I ever had would have been standing a foot away from Cano screaming, “Get on the bag, Get on the bag, Get on the f-ing bag!!!” Our guy was standing there scratching his plumbs. Just sayin’…

By: williamnyy23

williamnyy23 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:35:06 +0000

[73] I’d have to watch it again, but my first impression was Napoli was hesitant in pursuing Posada.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:33:48 +0000

“I really don’t think you can accuse Napoli of playing it any less than perfectly.”

Nor do I. He got a double play on a run down.

By: jjmerlock

jjmerlock — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:32:12 +0000

Just watched it again – watch it again if you can – Posada *did* have a few steps on Napoli all the way up the line. I really don’t think you can accuse Napoli of playing it any less than perfectly. Posada not scoring from second remains simply amazing (caught that too, as I rewound on the mlb.tv site.

But that’s a “Jorge” – it’s often not just one stunning blunder, but a full trip around the bases during which he does thing after thing that is so stupid that it is a complete overflowing package of stupid.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:32:08 +0000

[69] Signals to the runner? What? You’re running back to the base and trying to stay away from a tag. Now you want the runner to also be looking to see if the trailing runner’s foot is six inches from the base?

[70] Exactly.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:07 +0000

“That was not my impression”

Mine either. It was one catcher trying to outrun another. And with Cano’s idiocy if Napoli throws to 3B, that’s also a double play with Swisher still on first.

By: Horace Clarke Era

Horace Clarke Era — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +0000

[64] Well, I have my Good Jorge analysis … he assumed Cano was on the bag, how and why would he ever NOT be, if they are both on, he’s the runner Cano is out. Cano is faster. So Big Po gave himself up to ensure being tagged and Robbie’s the runner.

There you have it.

Of course Massive Brain Cramp is an equally or more valid theory, augmented by jogging to the dugout with 2 outs and a man on third later.

Remember the game a few weeks back where he messed up the ball/strike count TWICE – as batter?

By: williamnyy23

williamnyy23 — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:29:43 +0000

[65] The reason it would be good to be off the bag is because it signals to the runner that he should keep trying to get back to the bag. If Cano is standing on the bag, however, Posada might just give himself up.

Do you really think Posada was trying to cede the bag to Cano? I think he was more likely trying to buy time for Swisher. The reason I think Napoli made a mistake is because he could have tagged Posada earlier in the run down, but seemed stunned by Cano’s position off the bag.