Quote:
Originally Posted by
gut
Thats basically what i was saying. Verbalizing doesn't really mean shit to a guy standing on second surrounded by 40k fans and music playing. The hands up does signal a dead ball, and thus there was no reason for the Padres to move forward.
1. Verbalizing does mean shit. It's the reason the call stood. If all you needed was the signal, then the play would have been ruled dead. He was going to call a foul ball then realized it wasn't going to be a foul ball & changed his mind. They are taught not to jump the gun & make the call too soon & this was his mistake.
I compare it to a hockey referee starting to put his arm up to call a penalty but changing his mind after it's a third of the way up & putting it back down. Everybody saw that he was going to call a penalty & will complain but unless his arm goes up all the way he's not obligated to make the call. Hockey refs are also taught not to jump the gun & wait until the whole play unfolds before making their decision to call a penalty. This slight delay is why they get accused of calling the game to the home crowds whims & they actually do this at times. Verbalizing in baseball is like the whistle in hockey.
2. They don't play music(at least not that loud)while the play is going on(I've only been to 1 live MLB game but I don't remember them playing music during play but I could be wrong)&, you wouldn't think it, but the players usually have no troubles hearing the ump because they know exactly what they are listening for. They are listening for
TIME or
FOUL & the umps are not quiet about it.
3. Although there was confusion, the reason there was a triple play was questionable base running by the player at second base. This is however understandable, but not because of the umpires inadverdant signal but, because the pitch was 3 feet inside & it was pretty hard to believe that the batter was not hit since it looked like he was going to be drilled in the ribs.
Base runners only have 2 things to worry about in this situation:
A) Get a decent lead while the pitch is on the way while still leaving the option to get back if the bunt is missed.
B) When contact is made, if the ball is on the ground & not popped up, start running like hell & pick up your third base coach for your instructions. He didn't do either of these things & basically just stood near 2nd base in shock.
This is where the understandable part comes into play. Because the pitch was so far inside, his concentration was broken & he didn't react. Instead of concentrating on what he's supposed to which is:
1. Is the ball on the ground? Yes, then I have to run.
his thought process was probably something along the lines of:
1. Holy fuck did that pitch hit him?
2. Wow, that was close.
3. Fuck is he lucky, how the fuck did that not hit him?
4. Good thing that didn't hit him or that would have hurt.
At this point a triple play is inevitable & is how all these odd triple plays happen. The lead runner forgot what he was supposed to do which is to run on contact(as long as it's not popped up), the other runner is following the lead of the lead runner which he is supposed to do & the catcher, knowing the play isn't dead because he knows the ump hasn't verbalized anything, starts it around the horn. Meanwhile, the batter had bailed at the plate & was now 20 feet further away from first & on the ground. As long as the ball was fair, which it was, he was going to be out.
To say : I didn't run because the ump signalled something is not entirely true.
Would he have just stood there if the pitch was right over the middle & a routine bunt was made even if it had landed in foul territory & the ump inadverdantly put his hands up to his ears while getting out of the way? Of course not. He's running on contact & wouldn't be looking at the umps reaction.
Does he stop running when the ump actually makes his mistake & it looks like he is going to rule the play dead? Of course not. He wouldn't be looking at the umps reaction. He's looking at the third base coach to see if he has to slide.
It's just unfortunate circumstances, but to just blame the ump 100%, although he did make a slight error, is not correct IMO. He's just being made the scapegoat here. The base runners made mistakes also.
Sorry this is so long.