Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich Ives
Why is everyone having such a hard time with this? This isn't kiddie ball- it's pro grown-ups.
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Don't know about everyone, but my view of the play is that it does violate the guideline in the MLBUM:
Quote:
In sliding to a base, the runner should be able to reach the base with his hand or foot.
A runner who, in the judgment of the umpire, contacts or attempts to make contact with a fielder with a slide or roll block that is not a bona fide effort to reach and stay on the base may be called out for interference and, when appropriate, a double play may be called.
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1)The runner wasn't sliding
to a base: he started too late for that.
2)After the slide was finished, he may have been able to reach back and touch the base with his hand, although he made no attempt to. But that is only because he used F4 to stop his slide. So it wasn't a bona fide effort to stay on the base.
"Grown up" baseball isn't what it used to be. No question in my mind that 25 years ago, the ruling on the field would have been the same as it was in this game--no interference. And the runner would have paid for it in the batter's box, with no comment from the umpires. But in today's world, with warnings, ejections, and suspensions, the approach of "letting the players take care of it" is impractical, especially during the playoffs.
Since the players can't police it themselves, MLB umpires need to narrow the envelope of bona fide effort.