Not saying stros are a lock to win now of course but they are back to being the favorite again. Fg odds has them a 65% favorite to win the series now.
Dirtbag30 posted:Is Fangraphs watching the series or are they on vacation somewhere with no wifi?
Fangraphs replies: We ARE watching the series and our wifi is obviously better than yours!!
Oh, wow....
Buster Olney
@Buster_ESPN
Max Scherzer scratched. Joe Ross will start.
I get analytics but I also trust my eyes. My eyes tell me that the Astronauts are the better team. The reason I didn’t think that game two was a must-win for then and they could survive an 0-2 start is because they have championship pedigree as well as having really good players who are mentally tough to boot.
Whether they go on to win the series or not won’t change my opinion that they’re the better team. Anyone who’s played or watched this game understands that the best team doesn’t always win.
That’s not a knock on Washington because they’re obvious a good team as well.
JCG posted:Oh, wow....
Buster Olney@Buster_ESPNMax Scherzer scratched. Joe Ross will start.
Sh*t.
That is the advantage the astros have, they have depth. Joe ross doesn't belong anywhere near a postseason roster (albeit he did an ok job and the nats lost because they couldn't get hits in key situations and especially lacked power) but the nats have very little pitching depth behind their top 3 starters and their two good relievers.
Re Rendon’s homer after call against Turner .... Ball don’t lie!
Hey, at least the interference call followed by an endless review took folks minds off the terrible balls and strikes calls...
I’ve been all in on the Astros from the start but thought last night was more of a must-win for them than game two of the series.
Mad Max. Game seven. Could get really interesting.
I’m sticking with my pick as the Astronauts find away to scratch out a 5-4 victory. Tonight’s hero? Correa will have the game winning RBI.
Chico Escuela posted:Hey, at least the interference call followed by an endless review took folks minds off the terrible balls and strikes calls...
Sam "Infield Fly" Holbrook strikes again!! That blown call still pisses me off.
What is Holbrook doing working any playoff game, much less a World Series??!!
Forcing a baserunner to run in foul territory to reach a base that is sitting in fair territory is a terrible rule. This should be changed to allow the runner to use either side of the foul line, and the fielders should need to adjust their play, just like they do at other bases. JMO.
Smitty28 posted:Forcing a baserunner to run in foul territory to reach a base that is sitting in fair territory is a terrible rule. This should be changed to allow the runner to use either side of the foul line, and the fielders should need to adjust their play, just like they do at other bases. JMO.
The runner doesn’t have to be in foul territory when striding into the base. It was a bad call. I’m guessing if the first baseman’s glove hadn’t come off the call wouldn’t have been made. It created the illusion of interference.
hshuler posted:I’ve been all in on the Astros from the start but thought last night was more of a must-win for them than game two of the series.
Mad Max. Game seven. Could get really interesting.
I’m sticking with my pick as the Astronauts find away to scratch out a 5-4 victory. Tonight’s hero? Correa will have the game winning RBI.
Holding ya to that, Shu!
RJM posted:Smitty28 posted:Forcing a baserunner to run in foul territory to reach a base that is sitting in fair territory is a terrible rule. This should be changed to allow the runner to use either side of the foul line, and the fielders should need to adjust their play, just like they do at other bases. JMO.
The runner doesn’t have to be in foul territory when striding into the base. It was a bad call. I’m guessing if the first baseman’s glove hadn’t come off the call wouldn’t have been made. It created the illusion of interference.
True, but he has to be in foul territory leading up to the last step into the base. Turner was, in fact, in fair territory the entire path to 1st base but this didn't impact the play, only the stride into the base did. By rule, he has the right to go for the base in this situation. I agree it was a bad call, but if this rule didn't exist there would be no ambiguity and this call never would have been made.
Smitty28 posted:RJM posted:Smitty28 posted:Forcing a baserunner to run in foul territory to reach a base that is sitting in fair territory is a terrible rule. This should be changed to allow the runner to use either side of the foul line, and the fielders should need to adjust their play, just like they do at other bases. JMO.
The runner doesn’t have to be in foul territory when striding into the base. It was a bad call. I’m guessing if the first baseman’s glove hadn’t come off the call wouldn’t have been made. It created the illusion of interference.
True, but he has to be in foul territory leading up to the last step into the base. Turner was, in fact, in fair territory the entire path to 1st base but this didn't impact the play, only the stride into the base did. By rule, he has the right to go for the base in this situation. I agree it was a bad call, but if this rule didn't exist there would be no ambiguity and this call never would have been made.
Agree with Smitty28. See 5.09(a)(11). Turner never stepped on the line with either foot.
I hate the rule, and I hate the ump's judgement in that situation, but that's the way it's written in the rule book.
For me, it has been a pleasure to watch former phenom Strasburg develop into what was predicted of him 10 years ago. He has silenced the critics and is, in my opinion, the best pitcher in baseball. Looks like he will make himself a lot of money if he so chooses.
Doctor Joe posted:For me, it has been a pleasure to watch former phenom Strasburg develop into what was predicted of him 10 years ago. He has silenced the critics and is, in my opinion, the best pitcher in baseball. Looks like he will make himself a lot of money if he so chooses.
"This is exactly why you shut down Strasburg in September 2012. Long game."
MidAtlanticDad posted:Smitty28 posted:RJM posted:Smitty28 posted:Forcing a baserunner to run in foul territory to reach a base that is sitting in fair territory is a terrible rule. This should be changed to allow the runner to use either side of the foul line, and the fielders should need to adjust their play, just like they do at other bases. JMO.
The runner doesn’t have to be in foul territory when striding into the base. It was a bad call. I’m guessing if the first baseman’s glove hadn’t come off the call wouldn’t have been made. It created the illusion of interference.
True, but he has to be in foul territory leading up to the last step into the base. Turner was, in fact, in fair territory the entire path to 1st base but this didn't impact the play, only the stride into the base did. By rule, he has the right to go for the base in this situation. I agree it was a bad call, but if this rule didn't exist there would be no ambiguity and this call never would have been made.
Agree with Smitty28. See 5.09(a)(11). Turner never stepped on the line with either foot.
I hate the rule, and I hate the ump's judgement in that situation, but that's the way it's written in the rule book.
So, here is the written rule Mid refers to...
"Rule 5.09(a)(11) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the threefoot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first base."
In reality, almost every ball put in play by a RH batter where there is likely to be a (close) play at first, the batter runner is taking the fastest, most direct route he can to the bag. This results in a path identical to the one Turner took and almost never results in the batter runner actually using the lane. In fact, Turner hit roughly the middle of the bag with his left foot, leaving plenty of bag to work with for the defense. To actually use the lane per the rule, a RH batter would have to take a somewhat circular route to the base. Not practical or realistic. He is racing the play to the base where he is then allowed to run thru it. The vast majority of the times I have seen the runner interference called was when a runner intentionally took a route slightly toward the infield in an effort to cause interference with the throw.
My knee-jerk reaction is that the rule should be changed to allow the runner to take a direct route from the point he leaves the box thru the bag. But then we would probably have more contact issues between 1B and batter runner, which is why the running lane is there in the first place. There just needs to be better discretion in making that call. Last night was a bad call at a terrible time and I'm a little surprised Joe Torre defended it afterward... I guess that's part of his job. Can you imagine if that ended up being the difference in the game and cost them the series? Dude would be infamous. We're talkin' almost Steve Bartman level. Holbrook should be sending Rendon a big fat thank-you present.
I don't advocate this for high level baseball but the white/orange double first base used in youth ball and rec softball would eliminate the problem 
.
I think some of you are ignoring the path Turner was on before taking the definitive step to the bag. His left foot was in the grass the last time it touched before contacting the base. It was also in the grass the 5 times it contacted the ground before that as well. He was basically cutting across the 1st baseman back to the bag when he made that definitive step so many are hanging their argument on. It was while cutting from the grass to the bag that contact with the glove was made. He obstructed the ability to make the play with his path to the bag which is why the rule is in place. Had he been in the designated running lane and veered to the bag he likely would not have contacted the glove and if he did it would have been a legal move. As the rule is written, it's the correct call regardless if you like or agree with the rule as written or who you want to win the game.
22and25 posted:I think some of you are ignoring the path Turner was on before taking the definitive step to the bag. His left foot was in the grass the last time it touched before contacting the base. It was also in the grass the 5 times it contacted the ground before that as well. He was basically cutting across the 1st baseman back to the bag when he made that definitive step so many are hanging their argument on. It was while cutting from the grass to the bag that contact with the glove was made. He obstructed the ability to make the play with his path to the bag which is why the rule is in place. Had he been in the designated running lane and veered to the bag he likely would not have contacted the glove and if he did it would have been a legal move. As the rule is written, it's the correct call regardless if you like or agree with the rule as written or who you want to win the game.
It wasn't a running lane violation unless of course it was, in the umpires judgement. His judgment was poor.
To qualify as a running lane violation the runner had to have interfered with the play; he absolutely did not. Turner was nowhere near the path of the ball in flight and did not force the fielder to change the delivery of his throw or the path prior to him releasing the ball. That's like saying a second baseman's throw to first would have been impacted by Turner not being in the running lane!
Had it been a bunt fielded in front of home plate then it could have been a violation. Judgement call of course. In the bunt example, had the fielder (let's use the catcher as an example) dropped the ball before delivering it to first and the runner beat the throw it would be poor judgement to rule it a running lane violation. Unless of course the umpire judged the runners path to first caused the fielder to drop the ball before his throw. Again, that would also be poor judgment!