The Padres radio station has been playing sound from McClelland's interview on Dan Patrick Radio Show today for an hour now. (If you didn't hear it, McClelland said basically the same things from the article in USA Today).
These 2 idiots on the radio now have been going in circles for an hour about McClelland being confused and sounding stupid. Their basic assertion is that either Holliday touched the plate without being tagged, or he was tagged and it doesn't matter if he touched the plate or Barrett dropped the ball!!
My understanding from the time I was about 5 is that the catcher must maintain possession from the time of the tag, through any action (i.e. collision) and demonstrate control to the umpire. I can't find it in the rules at MLB.com, but I'm 100% certain that's correct right?
Sounds to me that McClelland is saying that he had a tag on Holliday before touching the plate, followed by Holliday touching the plate during the action, followed by McClelland seeing the ball NOT in Barrett's possession. That = safe right?
These guys don't get it, and neither did any of the callers. I sent an email, which was read on the air saying what I just said, and they jumped on me too. Still asserting that Barrett dropping the ball is irrelevant if he applied a tag.
I don't agree with McClleland's call, but I see his way of thinking. Now I know why most of you guys find us and the media abhorrent at best.