WCWS last night

[coachfanmom]

I didn't catch who the commentator's were last night on ESPN's coverage of the Texas-Alabama game but evidently one was a "catcher"......did you guys hear her comments on the "Blues" behind the plate?? I thought it was a nice pat on the back for you guys and although I'm not a "Blue" myself, I felt proud for all that are! I've gotten a new found respect for you guys/gals since joining this forum.

Pitchers were on fire yesterday!! 17 K's for Cat! Gave my 11 year old daughter some inspiration!! She was like "Hey mom!! There's Cat!! I saw her play with the Olympic team last summer!! You mean they show them on TV???" I guess she never realized that Softball was aired on TV until last night since we are usually at the field every night ourselves.

[AtlUmpSteve]

That wasn't just "a" catcher; that was Stacey Nuveman. She's a class act, not just a great ball player.

[coachfanmom]

Thanks for giving me a name to the voice! Is she a part of the Olympic team too? That name sounds familiar to me. My daughter got out her booklet of the USA players during the game and I was trying to look through it AND watch the game at the same time but seems like maybe I saw her name in it.

[Andy]

Let's not give Stacey too much credit....

I remember last year's WCWS...I can't recall which game, but there was obstruction by the catcher at the plate...she blocked the runner off the plate with her leg, caught the throw from the outfield and tagged the runner out. The umpire correctly called the obstruction and awarded home. Replays showed that the umpire made the correct call.

All Stacey could talk about was how the catcher was only doing her job and the umpire shouldn't have called that and the catcher has the "right" to block the plate and on and on and.....

Then later on the same game, they did a "tips from the experts" type thing between innings where Stacey gave tips for a catcher defending home plate on a throw from the outfield. She basically stated that the job of the catcher is to block the plate any way she can and not allow the runner to score, whether the catcher has the ball or not.

After watching the WCWS and other televised games the last few years on ESPN and other sports networks, it has become obvious that very few, if any, of the commentators or so-called "expert analysts" understand the rules of the game.

I still enjoy watching the softball, I just don't put much stock in the "rules knowledge" of the talking heads.

[AtlUmpSteve]

Originally posted by Andy
Let's not give Stacey too much credit....

I remember last year's WCWS...I can't recall which game, but there was obstruction by the catcher at the plate...she blocked the runner off the plate with her leg, caught the throw from the outfield and tagged the runner out. The umpire correctly called the obstruction and awarded home. Replays showed that the umpire made the correct call.

All Stacey could talk about was how the catcher was only doing her job and the umpire shouldn't have called that and the catcher has the "right" to block the plate and on and on and.....

Then later on the same game, they did a "tips from the experts" type thing between innings where Stacey gave tips for a catcher defending home plate on a throw from the outfield. She basically stated that the job of the catcher is to block the plate any way she can and not allow the runner to score, whether the catcher has the ball or not.

After watching the WCWS and other televised games the last few years on ESPN and other sports networks, it has become obvious that very few, if any, of the commentators or so-called "expert analysts" understand the rules of the game.

I still enjoy watching the softball, I just don't put much stock in the "rules knowledge" of the talking heads.

I totally agree with that. But, she still is, in my experience, a class person.

And, so you think she was teaching or commenting anything other than how she was taught? Do you think catchers aren't still taught to block the plate? Isn't that what all our coaches and players see on TV in baseball? They are just now still being shocked when the rule is enforced.

[orioles35]

If they don't block the plate without the ball, the runner scores. If they do block the plate without the ball and tag the runner out, then its up to the umpire to make the correct call. If blue misses it, it's a great play.

[CecilOne]

Does anyone else think calling illegal pitches has been laid to rest forever now that we've seen the De Paul leap?
No more "too fast" excuse, like with "Kat".

[Dakota]

Originally posted by CecilOne
... calling illegal pitches has been laid to rest forever ...

Wow! Talk about wishful thinking!