noumpere posted:luv baseball posted:Noumpere - If you are pointing to my example in your #3 above I agree the BR was out at 1st base. Problem was it was Bases loaded 1 out, tie game bottom 7. So when runner on 1st was awarded 2nd base the runner from 3rd scored. Instead of inning ending DP game goes to extra's it became a walk off circus.
I wasn't referring to your post directly, but to 2017LHPScrewball's.
I wasn't there to see the play (obviously), but given that it was OBS, I think it was adjudicated properly. If F4 isn't fielding a batted ball, or doesn't have the ball, then the runner has the right-of-way. It might sound like a "problem" and a "circus" but F4 just might be the engineer who drove the circus train into town. You said that F4 blocked the runner and "it would have been close -- really close." There's not much "what would have happened" to decide in this play.
FWIW My team got the call - but I think he missed it. The SS was going to beat him to the bag but the umpire has to make a judgment on that and he called OBS. His partner was in no position to really offer much help from the plate.
Runners were coached to create these issues whenever a defensive player was round. In fact the runner from 1st was later chastised for not making contact with the 2nd baseman thereby "leaving it up to the umpire". So that may be influencing my opinion. I understand the lean toward safety and won't argue against the rule - only that it can put umpires in spots to make tough calls when there is no contact.
My reference to a circus was nothing more than the reaction of everyone involved. The defensive team actually was whopping it up as they came off the field and nearly got to the dugout. Our kids were kicking the dirt heading out of the dugout when everyone finally started to understand what the call was. The slo motion change of emotion from one side to the other was really amazing actually. It was a three step thing - What's going on? He called what? What does that mean? NOOOOO! or YESSSSS! depending on your rooting interest.