Angels vs White Sox: Game 2

Can anyone explain to me in simple, non-baseball-expert terms exactly what happened in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 2?

If the ball touches the ground on a third strike before the catcher catches it, the batter can try to advance to first. Its like a normal hit, the catcher has to throw him out before the batter reaches first.

So the batter had 2 strikes against him.

Then the pitch came in, the umpire made a bit of an ambiguous call, the batter thought the umpire signalled the ball hit the ground and the catcher thought the umpire signalled the batter was out. So the batter ran to first and the catcher made no attempt to throw him out, which would have been fairly easy to do.

Later replays appear to show the ball never touching the ground.

From the MLB rulebook:
6.09
The batter becomes a runner when_ (a) He hits a fair ball; (b) The third strike called by the umpire is not caught, providing (1) first base is unoccupied, or (2) first base is occupied with two out; When a batter becomes a base runner on a third strike not caught by the catcher and starts for the dugout, or his position, and then realizes his situation and attempts then to reach first base, he is not out unless he or first base is tagged before he reaches first base.

So, the controversy is over exactly what the umpire called? But, ultimately, it’s the catchers fault for not proactively tagging the batter?

(And, Broken Wind, I asked for simple, not baseball legalese. :slight_smile: )

Or, tag him out. Broken Wind’s answer is more complete.

Actually, A.J. (the batter) thought that the ball hit the ground or was trapped, and he didn’t hear the ump signal an “out” verbally. There was also no ambiguous call. The ump signalled a strike three. He didn’t take off his helmet. He didn’t go to his scorecard. He simply watched A.J. A.J. didn’t hear a call out, and he ran.

I disagree. Personally, I thought it was trapped. The guys in the truck found inconclusiveevidence either way. In that regards, I think AJ had every right to run to first. It’s up to Josh Paul to throw or tag him out. Anyway, I hope that helps. I’m off to the Pit. :slight_smile:

I think that the Fox announcers brainwashed the nation into blaming the ump. It’s not possible to know whether or not the ball actually touched the ground based on the TV footage. Their argument that the catcher must have caught it because otherwise he would’ve tagged the runner is pretty weak. The catcher can’t always tell 100% that the ball didn’t at least graze the dirt.

The ump made a gesture indicating “no contact” and a second gesture indicating “Strike 3”. I don’t think that anyone heard an “Out” called.

That second gesture indicated that it’s an out. And I know that it indicates an out because it’s the same gesture he used to indicate every other out he called that night. Bad umpiring. I imagine he’ll get quite the welcome in Angel Stadium Friday.

Nonsense. Watch the replay. AJ begins walking off the field until he changes his mind at the prompting of his dugout.

Not only that, but the umpire is lying about his hand gestures. Watch his other strikeout calls. Handout to indicate the strike, then a fist pump to indicate the out. Not only that, but on other dropped third strike calls, he doesn’t make the fist pump until the batter is tagged. In the call in question, he made both his strike gesture and his out gesture.

Anyone who says otherwise is either a White Sox fan or a filthy communist. Probably both. :slight_smile:

I’m no communist! I’m a hardcore capitalist.

However, I am a huge White Sox fan. :cool:

Well, the same thing happened with Garrett Anderson, and I thought for sure that he swung through. If AJ had lost the handle on the ball (or even as close as Josh Paul did), Garrett would’ve been safe had he went to first. Anyway, the real issue is why do you/anyone think AJ runs to first? (Actually, I want to know why he swung at that crap-ass pitch :)) AJ knew he was being consistent.

The fault is largely with Josh Paul. He should’ve tagged AJ just to be sure. Any good catcher knows that.

Anyway, this makes up for the lack of interference call in Game 1 (hard popping up slide into Iguchi), and the other crappy calls that seem to against the Sox :slight_smile: (though, I am serious about the Game 1 non-interference call).

It would be interesting to see the plate umpire’s signals on a swinging strike 2. It should be the same as he used in this case. If not…then he did indeed bang out Pierzynski, and changed his call.

In the ump’s defense, the signal for “out” and for “strike” are similar, often the same – a raised right fist. Edding’s mechanics are confusing, though; there’s no need for a separate “no contact” signal. Just raise the right hand indicating a strike. (btw, umpires are taught to never verbalize “strike 3 – he’s out”, just for this reason. It’s just “strike”)

And I agree with Jacknifed Juggernaut – the replays were inconclusive, at best. I thought I saw a bounce and a trap; ergo, good call.

As an independent party to this (I switched over from my Astros gettign whooped just int ime to see it), I find fault not in the call of whether Paul caught it or it hit the dirt, but rather the Ump’s actions after that.

He clearly signaled an out. The inning should have been over.

I did like the way Mike Sosia handled it in the press conference. He said while he thinks it was not handled properly, he think his team shouldn’t have been in the situation where it matters.

Good management by MS. He knows he has a game 3 to play. Doesn’t want to get so wrapped up in Bartman blaming that he loses momentum.

Yeah, well, you guys deserve bad calls for nearly destroying baseball back in 1919 and having fans that beat up third base coaches on the field. :wink:

And don’t tell anyone, but even I (a big Angels fan) was shocked that there wasn’t an interference call against Cabrera in Game 1.

Are you referring to the perfectly legal (hard) slide into second?

That was a first base coach. And you think you know baseball! :smiley:

Now ask us about the infield fly rule. :slight_smile:

Nope. I’m referring to the not so legal slide where Cabrera stood up into Iguchi has he tried to make the play.

Well I’m a Sox fan, and the Cabrera slide was clean and legal.

As someone that played organized baseball from the age of 8 though college, I can just chime in with this:

Anytime, and I mean **anytime at all ** that the catcher catches strike three anywhere near the dirt, it’s on him to consider the fact that umps are unpredictable, and whether he hears a call or not, to tag the runner or throw to first just as insurance.

In fact, the catchers I know took great joy in actually being able to tag, and harder than necessary if only to reinforce that “Yes indeed Mr. Batter, that was strike three, now have a seat”