GDT: Jays @ Twins Game 4 of 4 Get the Split!

[Daniel Labude]

The overturn happened in Padres game last week:

Very similar.

 

Analysis on today:

 

Shrugs.

 

Apparently, David Beckham double clutched and because the ball was not in the air, the first shuffle into foul territory by Sanchez was considered blocking?

 

Last shuffle puts him completely blocking the plate with no lane and no ball. He didn't need to go there to catch it so easy call to over turn. He did it to catch the ball sooner and block the plate. Textbook overturn

[Grant77]

 

His first sentence is a lie. It's been called 3 times this month and plenty of times before that.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Shaddup you f***ing whiny bitch

[Spanky99]

 

Hahaha.... lmao

[Masterbather]

I see it the same way as a throw to second base on an attempted steal. That throw always goes left to right and the player covering second can always jump into the base path to collect the ball and just drop to their knees and get an out almost every time, but you can't do that. So they catch the ball out in front of the bag and then they tag behind them. If they had done this here, Merrifield would have been out.

[Jimcanuck]

I see it the same way as a throw to second base on an attempted steal. That throw always goes left to right and the player covering second can always jump into the base path to collect the ball and just drop to their knees and get an out almost every time, but you can't do that. So they catch the ball out in front of the bag and then they tag behind them. If they had done this here, Merrifield would have been out.

 

No he would have beaten the tag, easily

[BlueJaysFever]

Boy Rocco, that's a lot of salt for a correct call.

[polar bear]

Caleb Joseph makes a good point after the game. Gary Sanchez was standing directly in the lane before the ball was even in the air and never moved from his illegal position. The league has been consistent in making that call, even today.

 

The rules working for us,why so many lucky comments?

[Brownie19]

I was out yesterday and haven't gone back to read through the comments, but I think MLB should amend the rule, which would eliminate the grey area altogether. My proposed change is the catcher can't block the plate at any point or time (and if it's not already, I'd make this apply to any fielder at any base). Why can't catchers straddle the plate and tag a runner like fielders do at 2nd and 3rd? Why on earth would we allow a catcher who's in full gear 'block' the plate from the runner (after he has the ball) if the runner is not allowed to run him over?

 

Currently, the catcher is allowed to use his body (covered in armor) to prevent the runner from getting to the plate, but all the runner can do is slide into him (or try and go around him) and hope for the best? That is f***ing stupid.

 

I've said this consistently since they eliminated the take out slides at 2nd base. Baseball doesn't need violence to be entertaining - it simply doesn't. The elimination of the take out slide has proven this as you hear next to nothing about it these days. People complained it would ruin/pussify baseball for like a month and that's all I've heard about it since. Nobody misses it. Just because we allowed stupid things to happen for a long time doesn't mean we should continue to allow them.

 

MLB should eliminate blocking the plate or any base at any time.

Edited August 8, 2022 by Brownie19

[John_Havok]

I was out yesterday and haven't gone back to read through the comments, but I think MLB should amend the rule, which would eliminate the grey area altogether. My proposed change is the catcher can't block the plate at any point or time (and if it's not already, I'd make this apply to any fielder at any base). Why can't catchers straddle the plate and tag a runner like fielders do at 2nd and 3rd? Why on earth would we allow a catcher who's in full gear 'block' the plate from the runner (after he has the ball) if the runner is not all to run him over?

 

The catcher is allowed to use his armor to prevent the runner from getting to the plate, but all the runner can do is slide into him (or try and go around him) and hope for the best? That is f***ing stupid.

 

I've said this consistently since they eliminated the take out slides at 2nd base. Baseball doesn't need violence to be entertaining - it simply doesn't. The elimination of the take out slide has proven this as you here next to nothing about it these days. People complained it would ruin/pussify baseball for like a month and that's all I've heard about it since. Nobody misses it. Just because we allowed stupid things to happen for a long time doesn't mean we should continue to allow them.

 

MLB should eliminate blocking the plate or any base at any time.

 

I agree with this. I dont miss home plate collisions, and they don't add anything to the game.

[Brownie19]

I agree with this. I dont miss home plate collisions, and they don't add anything to the game.

 

I really thought this would spark a solid debate. Perhaps everyone else agrees with us?

[John_Havok]

I really thought this would spark a solid debate. Perhaps everyone else agrees with us?

 

Maybe. I just dont see the argument on that play. even the guys on MLB tonight were like "he could have slid between the catchers legs... that's a running lane..." and then i turned it off because of the objective stupidity of that argument.

[Brownie19]

Maybe. I just dont see the argument on that play. even the guys on MLB tonight were like "he could have slid between the catchers legs... that's a running lane..." and then i turned it off because of the objective stupidity of that argument.

 

I mean the reality is that once you have the ball, you don't have to provide a lane. The guy with the armor one can literally block the entire plate (which reminds of the minor league video that was circulating a month ago where the runner overran home and the catcher sat on home plate). But since we (correctly) eliminated the runners option runner over the catcher with all his might to try and get to home plate (while simultaneously trying to kill and injure him), the catcher has all the advantage now. The runner either needs to create enough momentum to slam his leg through the catcher or to slide around him.

 

It's really dumb IMO.

 

I'm still not 100% sure the ump got this call right (see Jomboy breakdown). The only argument I see is that Sanchez started to drop his knee before catching the ball and thus that's illegal? This all seems stupid and unnecessary to me.

[Stangstag]

I mean the reality is that once you have the ball, you don't have to provide a lane. The guy with the armor one can literally block the entire plate (which reminds of the minor league video that was circulating a month ago where the runner overran home and the catcher sat on home plate). But since we (correctly) eliminated the runners option runner over the catcher with all his might to try and get to home plate (while simultaneously trying to kill and injure him), the catcher has all the advantage now. The runner either needs to create enough momentum to slam his leg through the catcher or to slide around him.

 

It's really dumb IMO.

 

I'm still not 100% sure the ump got this call right (see Jomboy breakdown). The only argument I see is that Sanchez started to drop his knee before catching the ball and thus that's illegal? This all seems stupid and unnecessary to me.

 

 

Ball isn’t even in the frame yet and he’s standing in front of the plate. Merrifield has to decide where to slide but has no real options.

[John_Havok]

 

Ball isn’t even in the frame yet and he’s standing in front of the plate. Merrifield has to decide where to slide but has no real options.

 

Yeah, like, if his left foot was even 1 foot to the right and on the baseline... no issues. I get the argument a bit that if the throw takes you into the runners path etc etc.... but if a play like this is so close to being a borderline call, then I think you have to err on the side of the runner givne the runners lack of options.

[Jimcanuck]

Yeah, like, if his left foot was even 1 foot to the right and on the baseline... no issues. I get the argument a bit that if the throw takes you into the runners path etc etc.... but if a play like this is so close to being a borderline call, then I think you have to err on the side of the runner givne the runners lack of options.

 

But the rule says nothing about the path of the ball. If the throw is into the runner's path, too bad. Throw better next time.

[G-Snarls]

This sucks

 

Feels like we should have gotten within 8 games of rhe Yankees the way they've been playing

 

Instead we're now only 2 up on the fn Orioles

[Laika]

Yeah, like, if his left foot was even 1 foot to the right and on the baseline... no issues. I get the argument a bit that if the throw takes you into the runners path etc etc.... but if a play like this is so close to being a borderline call, then I think you have to err on the side of the runner givne the runners lack of options.

 

I don't think the setup mattered, did it?

 

You can be directly over the base line and give the runner a valid lane to slide between your legs right. Defenders straddle the bag / plate all the time.

[John_Havok]

I don't think the setup mattered, did it?

 

You can be directly over the base line and give the runner a valid lane to slide between your legs right. Defenders straddle the bag / plate all the time.

 

If he was straddling the plate, there would be no problem. He’s in front of it up the baseline by enough of a distance that there no actual lane to the plate. There a lane to between his legs to more distance to the plate.

[Brownie19]

I don't think the setup mattered, did it?

 

You can be directly over the base line and give the runner a valid lane to slide between your legs right. Defenders straddle the bag / plate all the time.

 

Exactly. If you just re-write the rule and remove the ability for a defender to block any base or plate, then he can stand the way he is as along as he doesn't drop to his knees. Merrifield can slide between his legs.