This is a bad miss and the umpire is moving and likely misses the perspective to make the call. We have all been there, but I would expect a little better mechanic from an MLB umpire that does not have to get to another base like most of us do in our games. Oh well, another day another dollar.

And one of the reporters said, (twice, I think), "But, Joe, your guys didn't score any runs."

Rita

Not disagreeing, but I didn't see that in the ESPN video (that was part of the SC piece on the play with Garciaparra).....is there any video out that showing that?
Stopping the ESPN video at 00:39 and again at 00:43 seems to have him more toward the first base side of second. of course it doesn't follow all of his movement in the play.

Or at about 4 seconds, when the ball is hit, he's clearly on the 1st base side ... where he's supposed to be.

Problem is, I think he was genuinely surprised by the "pick-off" from right field, and completely unprepared for it. So he ran, and didn't see what he should have seen.

I don't think the positioning was that bad, just where he was focusing his attention was probably wrong. IMO, he was looking at the hand and the base, and not the whole picture.

Good tags are made right before the base, but you can't anticipate that's where it's always going to take place.

Separate issue.

Are you kidding me? His positioning was AWFUL! I don't do six man like they do in the postseason, but with 6 umpires on the diamond, what else should he be doing? Isn't R1's touch of second Nelson's responsibility. Clearly the play at second was and instead of moving perpendicular to the base to gain an angle and coming set when the ball arrived, Nelson was running directly at the base, was to close to the play and was moving when he went to make a call. All this is basic umpiring 101, which a playoff rated umpire UTTERLY FAILED AT!

My comment was based on what I saw at the time. Maybe he didn't make it all the way to the third base side but he was, imo, too far toward that side. And, again, it's a lesson for me to use when I'm BU in a similar situation.

Seems to me from the places in this video (starting at 1:58 or so) where I could see Nelson, he was in the right position to begin with. For whatever reason, he felt he had to move closer to the bag to make the call. There was no reason to, IMO.

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | Must C Call: Infante ruled safe on a close play - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

Ummm Maybe Im wrong but isint that now reviewable??

Yes, but you get his point.

If you need a more realistic scenario, make it a walk-off double down the line that stayed in the park, but replays that cannot be reviewed show the ball was foul.

You are correct I get his point, and I agree that their is a completely different feel going into the bottom of the inning with a 1-0 game vs a 3-0 game and yes momentum would have been with the Yankees. However to say OZZY is wrong for making his comment is ALSO wrong. Because infact he is correct. Take care of business in one of the first 8 innings and maybe that call wouldn't matter at all.

I explained this to my 9 year old Saturday, and she got it. Umpires (should) get it much easier.

Some mistake made late in a game (whether by umpire or player or coach) is no more important than the same mistake made earlier. The umpire makes one mistake, but the Yankees failed to prevent one other run, and failed to get on base 27 other times (minus baserunning outs and DP's, I suppose).

My daughter made the last out of her game the other day, a game they lost 14-12. Her out was not the reason they lost, even though she thought so. The rest of the team made 8 other outs (3 inning game). Their defense allowed 14 runs. ONE out, ONE mistake by the umpire, ONE hit by a player, ONE coach's error in sending a runner, pinch hitting, turning in the lineup in the first place, etc... does not cause a loss.

Yup!

Was it a bad call? Yes, obviously. Did it cost the Yankee$ the game? No, obviously.

You do have to score to win. In the 21 innings of this series so far, the Yankee$ have scored in 1 inning. That's right.. one.

In their 78 official at-bats, they have 20 strikeouts.

Yeah, the lack of "pressure" on the Detroit pitcher cost them the game. Sure, Joe. You betcha.

Will it result in expanded replay? Yeah, probably, since it happened to the Yankee$!

Maybe, but Joe was trying to link them and the reporter wasn't letting him.

Rita