Did he Touch the plate?

[jimpiano]

The Rockies win on a sacrifice fly in extra innings but did the runner touch the plate?

Tim McClelland said he did.

TV said he didn't.

What an embarassment to MLB umpiring.

[kylejt]

Tim was working with a seven second delay. And yes, he did miss this call. Perhaps he can retire with Hoffman.

[TussAgee11]

Never saw a replay that tells me that he didn't touch the plate. An overhead shot is the only way to really tell. On the angle from LF looking down the baseline, the runner's hand gets shielded by the catcher's shoe. Then from the angle behind the plate, the hand gets shielded by the runner's sliding body.

Tim did get caught out of position, he moved to 3BLX, which looked like would provide him with the swipe tag angle. Then it was a banger at the front of the plate.

So "Tim like" to wait like that too... no hesitation, just good timing, and nonchalant Tim McClelland safe call.

[bossman72]

JimPorter, can we get a video clip?

[Jim Porter]

Originally Posted by bossman72

JimPorter, can we get a video clip?

Here ya go:

http://menotomyjournal.com/mlbvids/col.wmv

[SanDiegoSteve]

Still hard to tell. It looked like McClelland had a good view from 3BLX (insert rolling eyes here).

Whatever. The Padres can't blame this loss on the umpire. Hoffman gave the game away and the team choked on the same piece of meat the Mets did. Paging Dr. Heimlich for a little maneuver to be performed on my pathetic Padres (insert angry face here).

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by SanDiegoSteve

Still hard to tell. It looked like McClelland had a good view from 3BLX (insert rolling eyes here).

Whatever. The Padres can't blame this loss on the umpire. Hoffman gave the game away and the team choked on the same piece of meat the Mets did. Paging Dr. Heimlich for a little maneuver to be performed on my pathetic Padres (insert angry face here).

I think 3BLX is the proper place for this call. If the umpire was 1BLX the runner's back would have blocked the umpire from seeing the runner's hand touch (or miss) the plate.

I agree with others that the umpire could have sold the call more.

[ozzy6900]

Is it possible that Holiday's hand could have gotten under the cleats of F2? It almost looks like that is what happened! Also, at the end of the video, Holiday is rolling over and it looks like he is going to grab his hand but the video cuts off.

Just a thought - I don't really care about the NL!

[mbyron]

Here's what I see. From the angle behind home plate, you can see F2 block the runner's hand off the plate. But R3's hand pushes the foot back along 3BLX. If R3 touched the plate, that's how he did it.

I do not see a touch, but the hand pushes the blocking foot back enough to expose the plate to make a touch possible.

[PeteBooth]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by ozzy6900

Is it possible that Holiday's hand could have gotten under the cleats of F2? It almost looks like that is what happened!

Ozzy, if that's what happened then McClelland would have signalled safe immediately. There would have been no need for him to wait. From the video, McClelland, didn't see a tag of the plate that's why the no signal. Then he gave the safe sign. It appears as though McClelland simply Froze on the call.

I am really surprised the Padres didn't go more ballistic on the play.

Bottom line last night's play is why MLB NEEDS Instant replay. Give Football credit regardless of what one thinks of IR.

Pete Booth

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by Jim Porter

Here ya go:

http://menotomyjournal.com/mlbvids/col.wmv

View from third to home it appears he doesn't have the plate. View third base line extended not conclusive either way in my opinion. Plate ump had a good look and the runner (judging from body language) obviously thought he got it. Barrett holds the ball he's out. Typical Barrett screw up. Gotta go with the call.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by gordon30307

...... and the runner (judging from body language) obviously thought he got it.

I thought the runner's body language said he did not even know where he was for a minute or two. In the interview later when asked if he got the plate, he said something like, "Oh, I don't know. I got hit pretty hard."

[fitump56]

Originally Posted by Jim Porter

Here ya go:

http://menotomyjournal.com/mlbvids/col.wmv

Nice positioning.

NOT.

Lemme see, I got R barreling down the 3B dugout side of the baseline grass, and F2 with his foot past the top of the plate. So, naturally,I swaddle over from seeing both as I head toward RF, getting perfectlly blocked by F2 and his foot.

Knowing I have screwed the pooch, I take the only "out" I have left which is the "oh he's so safe I can make this casual palms down sign whilst closing in a yard or so just in case I am out of camera range."

Good thing Barrett didn't jump up like he knew what was going on. Timmy fooled 'em all.

[gordon30307]

Originally Posted by fitump56

Nice positioning.

NOT.

Lemme see, I got R barreling down the 3B dugout side of the baseline grass, and F2 with his foot past the top of the plate. So, naturally,I swaddle over from seeing both as I head toward RF, getting perfectlly blocked by F2 and his foot.

Knowing I have screwed the pooch, I take the only "out" I have left which is the "oh he's so safe I can make this casual palms down sign whilst closing in a yard or so just in case I am out of camera range."

Good thing Barrett didn't jump up like he knew what was going on. Timmy fooled 'em all.

Look at the play again. The PU is TBLX and not right field. He had a great look at the play. Actually he had a better look than the camera angles. Timing was great (could have sold it better) if Barret holds the ball he's out. If not he's safe.

Actually the "safe play" is to call him out. Easy to argue he never got the plate.

[johnnyg08]

Timing was good...after all, he couldn't see the ball...and if he couldn't see the ball in this instance, surely he couldn't see Holliday touch the plate. I think he missed it too...but there isn't any evidence to say for 100% that he missed the plate...and if you're not 100% sure, then the runner is safe. My question to Tim would be...if Barrett came up w/ the ball, would he have called him out? Based upon the timing of when he made the safe call, I would lean toward him calling Holliday out...but, we'll never know.