Holiday Slide - Legal or Not?

[Manny A]

Originally Posted by Rita C

There was nothing about that slide that was an attempt to get to the base. The defensive player was beyond the bag and the "slide" was not for any reason but to try to break up a double play.

And, as you know Rita, there is nothing illegal about that in straight-up OBR.

Two things to look for:
1. Could Holliday reach the bag? Yes he could. In fact, he hit the top of the base with his leg.
2. Was there a cross body block or rolling block? Most agree here that there wasn't.

If Holliday had executed the exact same slide with Scutaro on either side of the bag, and Holliday could reach the bag with his hand, nobody would say a peep. The same is true had Scutaro been in front (first base side) of the base. So why should it be any different on the back side of the base?

The only anomaly, if you will, is that Holliday started his slide on top of the bag, not in front or to the side. But nothing in OBR makes that illegal. Heck, he could've started a slide after he passed over the bag, and as long as he could reach back and touch the bag with his hand while sliding, he meets the rule requirement.

Yeah, there's no doubt what he was intending on doing. And if Scutaro had leaped over Holliday, or even gotten up right away after the contact, there would have been no outcries. But because Scutaro got hurt, people want to scream "ILLEGAL!" especially Giants fans who still have the Posey incident fresh in their memories.