Perhaps I should have phrased it differently. Urshela didn’t really “screw up” on that play, but he played it sub-optimally as a base runner. Unless the C was coming from home to cover first (which ought to be the coach’s responsibility to monitor), he had at least as far as the first baseman (who was off the bag to start the play AND in front of Gio) to wait to see the outcome of the play (and it became apparent VERY early in the play that there was trouble). As SS, 2nd AND P converged on the ball as it was dropping, the 1st baseman released towards the center of the diamond. At this point, Gio is *not* in danger (again, barring movement from the C , he can just stand there until the play is resolved; if it’s caught, he simply retreats to first with ease, but if it drops, he’s in as forward a position as he could be to try and force an issue and possibly advance. Instead, when the 1st baseman releases, Gio has already long since started retreating to the bag, so when the ball drops, he has to stop his momentum and then head towards 2nd.

As I stated in the first post, it probably doesn’t matter in the end, but maybe, just maybe, if Urshela plays it right, he’s on top of 2nd baseman (and in the lane) almost as the ball is dropping, maybe there’s interference, maybe that forces something hurried from the defense … it couldn’t have been any worse than the outcome he got.

He seems to think that any old pitcher can pitch in most any situation.