I live in the greater DC area and see a lot of Orioles games. I've seen quite a few this year, particularly because they've played the Yanks a lot already. I have to say, I've rarely seen a team so incompetant. It's astounding how routinely they blow routine plays.
Now I know that baseball has become metricized and situational to the nth degree over the past 10 years or so, resulting in less dependence on the traditional "fundamentals". But seriously, how the HELL does a professional baseball team allow two runs to score on a fielders choice that results in NO outs?
If I were the O's manager, I'd have them on the field 6 hours a day practicing. This is beyond comical. It's not even funny.
Routine to Absurd in the Blink of an Eye - (
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Even worse, IMHO, was the first baseman's boneheaded play to chase the runner to tag him instead of just throwing to the SS covering second base, where a force was still in play! Lol...and then to throw late to home...just astoundingly bad baseball!
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He made a split second decision, and it was the wrong one. He went for the tag when he should have wheeled around and thrown the ball to short for the force at 2nd. That would have allowed the throw back to first for the double play. By going for the tag, the play slowed down and allowed the batter to hustle to 1st which caught Alberto in a tight spot. Tag the runner out or throw to 1st to get the batter. He wound up with neither. Just an ugly play all over. The manager should smack Alberto upside his head for that Merkle Boner.
Even worse, IMHO, was the first baseman's boneheaded play to chase the runner to tag him instead of just throwing to the SS covering second base, where a force was still in play! Lol...and then to throw late to home...just astoundingly bad baseball!
Yup, but to me, they are all by products of the first dumbass move. Amazing how one stoopid play can become so contagious and spread throughout.
Also first base may have thought the runner was out at first as it was a bang bang play. If that is the case you throw it to second and the runner easily makes it back to first. The first baseman mistake was not paying attention to the runner going to third. That should have been an easy out at home if he was paying attention.
Also first base may have thought the runner was out at first as it was a bang bang play. If that is the case you throw it to second and the runner easily makes it back to first. The first baseman mistake was not paying attention to the runner going to third. That should have been an easy out at home if he was paying attention.
He is a professional baseball player. Situational awareness - if the ball is hit to you, throw it to second for the force. You always get the lead runner, period.
Athletes at this level aren't supposed to make these types of mental mistakes, period. If he misses the throw, that's one thing. But to not even look to make the throw - that's idiotic.
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Yes it looks ridiculous, but believe it or not it is easy to make simple mistakes. The runner is running at you and I think everyone's first thought would be to tag the running throw to first double play rather than turn completely around fire to second and probably not get the double play. The runner does a great job though of stopping and moving backwards delaying the play. Once the runner is clearly going to be out in a pickle he just makes a poor throw. It was to soft and the runner beat it out. If he makes that throw it looks like he runs the runner back gets the out at first and then they pickle the runner going to second. No one thinks twice. So really the mistake was the late soft throw to first.
Also first base may have thought the runner was out at first as it was a bang bang play. If that is the case you throw it to second and the runner easily makes it back to first. The first baseman mistake was not paying attention to the runner going to third. That should have been an easy out at home if he was paying attention.
He is a professional baseball player. Situational awareness - if the ball is hit to you, throw it to second for the force. You always get the lead runner, period.
Athletes at this level aren't supposed to make these types of mental mistakes, period. If he misses the throw, that's one thing. But to not even look to make the throw - that's idiotic.
He turns completely around and fires to second and you get one out no double play. You run the runner back a little and make the throw to first you get two outs. I don't agree with your assessment. He just ran him to far and made to weak of a throw.
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Yes it looks ridiculous, but believe it or not it is easy to make simple mistakes. The runner is running at you and I think everyone's first thought would be to tag the running throw to first double play rather than turn completely around fire to second and probably not get the double play. The runner does a great job though of stopping and moving backwards delaying the play. Once the runner is clearly going to be out in a pickle he just makes a poor throw. It was to soft and the runner beat it out. If he makes that throw it looks like he runs the runner back gets the out at first and then they pickle the runner going to second. No one thinks twice. So really the mistake was the late soft throw to first.
Also first base may have thought the runner was out at first as it was a bang bang play. If that is the case you throw it to second and the runner easily makes it back to first. The first baseman mistake was not paying attention to the runner going to third. That should have been an easy out at home if he was paying attention.
He is a professional baseball player. Situational awareness - if the ball is hit to you, throw it to second for the force. You always get the lead runner, period.
Athletes at this level aren't supposed to make these types of mental mistakes, period. If he misses the throw, that's one thing. But to not even look to make the throw - that's idiotic.
Also you just made a mistake. You said you always get the lead runner which just isn't true. The lead runner was going to third. In that case would you want to get the lead runner and throw to third OR get a double play? The correct play is get a double play.
Again - these are professional baseball players.
Again - these are professional baseball players.
It took a high hop at the start... There was no double play UNLESS... you run the runner back... make the throw to first and pickle the runner off going to second. Again I don't agree with your assessment. The play is a good play if he makes the throw a second sooner or throws it a little harder to first.
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The ball was hit right to him, and all he had to do was throw to second - to hopefully get the double play.
Again - these are professional baseball players.
It took a high hop at the start... There was no double play UNLESS... you run the runner back... make the throw to first and pickle the runner off going to second. Again I don't agree with your assessment. The play is a good play if he makes the throw a second sooner or throws it a little harder to first.
It's obvious he should have thrown it to second as soon as he caught the ball. That's what I'm saying. I'm sorry if I haven't been clear.
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In comment 14447307 RobCarpenter said:
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The ball was hit right to him, and all he had to do was throw to second - to hopefully get the double play.
Again - these are professional baseball players.
It took a high hop at the start... There was no double play UNLESS... you run the runner back... make the throw to first and pickle the runner off going to second. Again I don't agree with your assessment. The play is a good play if he makes the throw a second sooner or throws it a little harder to first.
It's obvious he should have thrown it to second as soon as he caught the ball. That's what I'm saying. I'm sorry if I haven't been clear.
If you throw it second you don't get a double play. Can we agree if he threw that ball a little harder to first or a second earlier that the runner at first is out. The runner going to second is in a pickle and it should be a double play. If you agree with that you do that play not throw to second since with the slower hit ball that started with a high hope took the double play out.
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In comment 14447315 Amtoft said:
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In comment 14447307 RobCarpenter said:
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The ball was hit right to him, and all he had to do was throw to second - to hopefully get the double play.
Again - these are professional baseball players.
It took a high hop at the start... There was no double play UNLESS... you run the runner back... make the throw to first and pickle the runner off going to second. Again I don't agree with your assessment. The play is a good play if he makes the throw a second sooner or throws it a little harder to first.
It's obvious he should have thrown it to second as soon as he caught the ball. That's what I'm saying. I'm sorry if I haven't been clear.
If you throw it second you don't get a double play. Can we agree if he threw that ball a little harder to first or a second earlier that the runner at first is out. The runner going to second is in a pickle and it should be a double play. If you agree with that you do that play not throw to second since with the slower hit ball that started with a high hope took the double play out.
He should have thrown it to second. Maybe they get the double play, maybe not. He clearly would have been out at second.
While I'm not an expert on interference rules, is it possible the 1st basemen thought the 2nd baseman would be called for interference on the base runner?
Yeah, a bad play, but hardly worthy of headlines.