Why Softball Rules Are Smarter
 

http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200806152937517

Luckily, the catcher is reported to be okay.

Umpire called a sympathy out as he was literally moving away from a good position to see if there was a tag.

I am a Cardinals fan, and I think you are right. I have replayed it several times and do not see how that contact could be considered a "tag."

Good to hear he's ok.

Lyrics from Johnny Cash:

I hear the train a comin'; it's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when.

I happened to be watching that game. There was another replay, probably from the 1st base dugout camera, which looked like he tagged the runner's knee as he reached behind himself, an instant before going down.

I kept trying to figure out if I would have ejected the runner if tat play happened in a softball game.
a) it did not look like the runner aimed at the catcher in the catcher's position taking the throw
b) the catcher did swing around into the runner's path whne it was too late for the runner to avoid
c) the runner made a mistake by not sliding (IMO, safe & no injury)
d) the runner caused the collision by not sliding
e) the runner crashed into the catcher, deliberate or not, with great force, so yes, ejection
What do you think?

What do you mean? Didn't he hold on to the ball? :D

What are you doing watching MLB, Mike???? :eek:

And the runner lowered this shoulder into the catcher; the catcher came up with his elbow into the runner just before the crash... Hard to say from the replay which one instigated the collision.

I would have tossed the runner. In a heartbeat.

I just watched it another five times, even stopped it a couple of time near the contact.

To me it looks clear the the only contact between was the runner literally bracing himself and putting his left leg into the back of the catcher and pushing down on his head and shoulder. I cannot possibly see how the catcher could have tagged the runner with the ball/glove.

A softball player would more likely slide on this play. If the runner slides on this play, he's safe and there is no question.

A softball catcher probably would have opened up and not tried to take the ball a long way around for a blind tag. Of course, a softball catcher's tag would have been late, but it beats a concussion.

A softball umpire, except for Wade, would have been set up off the back, outside corner of the RH box and would have had a perfect angle for the play. :) Tim McClelland seemed more interested into getting to 3B line extended than getting a good position for the ensuing play. I wonder what the purpose of the cute color-coordinated sweatband on McClelland's left are is.

I don't think I would have an ejection on the runner in the case. The catcher initiated the contact by moving into the runner's path at the last moment.

I believe those are for Father's Day and prostate cancer awareness. MLB umpires wore pink armbands on Mother's Day for breast cancer awareness.

I still don't understand why the owners, who are paying these guys millions of dollars, let this kind of crap happen at the plate. They should be demanding that the interfence and crash rules be enforced, if for no other reason than to protect their investments.

You are assuming that idiots with enough money to buy a team for a toy actually have some common sense and may be a bit more than slightly intelligent.:D

I guess this is another example of seeing what we want to see....looks to me like the runner runs into mitt and ball with his left knee and umpire is in perfect position.

Good point.

It's tough to pound sense into people's heads when they have rocks for brains.