Phils/Mets: Game ending interference

[Rich]

3-2 Phillies, R1/R3, 1 out. Top of the 9th.

Slow roller to short. NOT a double play ball. Fielded to second for one (the announcers had already conceded the tie) and in one of the dumbest moves I've ever seen in MLB, Marlon Anderson goes out of his way to intentionally interfere with Phils' F4 Iguchi. CB Bucknor called it immediately and the Phillies win, 3-2.

A great call, without a doubt. And the second one I've seen called in the past week.

[newump]

i agree, great call. although anderson's feet were still near the bag, he clearly reached out with his arms to push at iguchi trying to turn the double play.

3 in a row for the phils over the mets.

did you hear willie randolph repeatedly refer to the call as "obstruction" in his post game interview?? how many years does he need to be involved in baseball before he learns the difference between obstruction and interference?

[BigTex]

Originally Posted by newump

did you hear willie randolph repeatedly refer to the call as "obstruction" in his post game interview??

I heard he is going to be broadcasting games next year.

[kylejt]

Why is this such a great call? Pretty obvious.

What isn't so great is that it hasn't been called consistently over the years. Guys have been sliding 10 feet from the bag and getting away with it forever.

[Rich]

It wasn't the distance from the bag (which according to the press reports Anderson is STILL arguing) -- it was the intentional act of going after Iguchi with what can only be described as a "cross body block."

Say what you want about CB Bucknor, but he didn't hesitate and stepped up to make a solid call.

There's a picture here: http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/M...456731-ap.html -- look how far Anderson is from second base.

[SanDiegoSteve]

Bucknor didn't hesitate, as did the umpire in the Phillies/Padres crew did when Ruiz took out M. Giles. Same scenario, but now since it was called right away, as the other one should have been, the call looks much cleaner.

[_Bruno_]

just to make it sure but, if R3 would have reached homeplate before the interference (and the would have been 0 outs), he would be alowed to score, does he ?

[johnnyg08]

Originally Posted by kylejt

Why is this such a great call? Pretty obvious.

What isn't so great is that it hasn't been called consistently over the years. Guys have been sliding 10 feet from the bag and getting away with it forever.

While I agree with the fact that this was the correct call, I'm still looking for the "great call" here...to me this play was as obvious as a routine fly ball to center and the umpire signaling "out." Was that a great call? Of course we know the answer to that is no. I guess I'm just not sure that correct call = great call on something like this that is fairly black and white...not to mention, these umpires get paid lots and lots of money to make those calls correctly.

[PeteBooth]

Rich I am a Met fan and while I do not care for CB Buckner he did make a great call.

The problem:

This is one of those calls that is not called consistent from game to game. It's akin to running lane interference. We have seen 2 called in the past week and I can't remember any before then that's how rare of a call it is in MLB.

Perhaps we will start to see more consistency in this type of call in the future.

I have heard announcers that want the rule changed (what else is knew)

Some want this type of call to be similiar to pass interference in football meaning, after the interference call and Double play ruling, they want the umpires to huddle to ascertain (absent the Interference) if B1 would have been safe at first, hence "waving off" the second out. The football reference was that if the ball is deemed "uncatchable" the interference is waved off.

Hey Rich maybe just maybe we might just get that Re-write of the rules that we have been looking for with new interps.

In any event I agree with you Good call by CB.

Pete Booth

[UmpLarryJohnson]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

This is one of those calls that is not called consistent from game to game. It's akin to running lane interference. We have seen 2 called in the past week and I can't remember any before then that's how rare of a call it is in MLB.

Perhaps we will start to see more consistency in this type of call in the future.

watching it i think that a big factor in callin it was how the runner SHOVED the feilder w his hands as he past by.....right in front of mr Buckner. he literaly CHUCKED the guy toward thirdbase w the palms of his hands--cant be more obvious!!

if he had just STUCK UP his hands like 99% of runers do prolly no call!

[Rich]

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Rich I am a Met fan and while I do not care for CB Buckner he did make a great call.

The problem:

This is one of those calls that is not called consistent from game to game. It's akin to running lane interference. We have seen 2 called in the past week and I can't remember any before then that's how rare of a call it is in MLB.

Perhaps we will start to see more consistency in this type of call in the future.

I have heard announcers that want the rule changed (what else is knew)

Some want this type of call to be similiar to pass interference in football meaning, after the interference call and Double play ruling, they want the umpires to huddle to ascertain (absent the Interference) if B1 would have been safe at first, hence "waving off" the second out. The football reference was that if the ball is deemed "uncatchable" the interference is waved off.

Hey Rich maybe just maybe we might just get that Re-write of the rules that we have been looking for with new interps.

In any event I agree with you Good call by CB.

Pete Booth

I am a Phillies fan. It's the only place in baseball where I openly root for anyone. Been a fan since I was 7 years old and my mother took me to see Schmidt, Bowa, Luzinski, Cash, and the rest of the 1976 Phillies.

That said, I never look at a play with Phillies-colored glasses. It's a long season and a lot of calls are made and even the best teams lose 60 games. This one, however, was a no-brainer. Like I said, the distance from the bag on initial contact was probably OK -- it's the cross-body-block from the WWE that makes it an illegal slide.

As a Phillies fan who had the distinct "pleasure" of watching Marlon Anderson in a Philles uniform, I can say it's the best play I've ever seen him make for the Phillies.

[kylejt]

I'm still missing the "great call" part.

It's the correct call, and nothing more. Just because you don't see it called correctly in other games doesn't make it great. Unusual perhaps, but not outstanding.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by kylejt

I'm still missing the "great call" part.

It's the correct call, and nothing more. Just because you don't see it called correctly in other games doesn't make it great. Unusual perhaps, but not outstanding.

It's a play that's easy to call from your couch, sure. But if you watch the play, Bucknor not only makes the call, he does it while being forced to move to get out of the way of the errant throw of Iguchi caused by the illegal slide.

It's also a great call because of the circumstances. It's easier to call nothing and let the game go into extra innings. When something unusual happens like this and the umpire is able to step up and make the call immediately and decisively......well, what is a great call?

[kylejt]

IMO, there are no great calls. Just correct calls.

We're umpires, not players making circus catches, pulling back HR's, or making Jeter plays. Either you get it right, or you don't.

[lawump]

Originally Posted by Rich Fronheiser

I am a Phillies fan....
That said, I never look at a play with Phillies-colored glasses.

Then you must have had fun watching their June 17th game this year!