September 10, 2010

SportsFilter: The Friday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 13 comments

Chris Nelson of the Colorado Rockies steals home, his first major league steal, to win the game against the Reds.

posted by split atom at 07:01 AM on September 10, 2010

When I got home from work yesterday, I saw that the MLB Network had that game on so I tuned into it. Just playing with the baby on the floor and glancing up at the game every once in a while, I catch this steal. It was incredible. The pitcher had thought that it was the runner on first that was stealing and wheeled to second base. Oops!

posted by NoMich at 07:33 AM on September 10, 2010

So I don't know my baseball, but that's a quality effort. I reckon there's no chance that can happen unless Nelson has: the runner on 1st making like he's going to steal 2nd AND all that shadow between 3rd and home to stop the pitcher noticing him in time. Thanks for the link (which is all messed up, but hopefully rcade will fix it for you).

posted by JJ at 07:39 AM on September 10, 2010

Right now in Raleigh, the crew is putting in the ice and the players are putting on the foil. It's almost hockey season!

Find out how the crew changes over from basketball to hockey. Video is complete with:
a) a Wolfpack loss to Clemson
b) Yakety Sax
and
c) the Scorpions!

posted by NoMich at 07:44 AM on September 10, 2010

Putting on the foil! Thanks for a great vid and a Hansen Brothers moment, NoMich.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:51 AM on September 10, 2010

I reckon there's no chance that can happen unless Nelson has: the runner on 1st making like he's going to steal 2nd AND all that shadow between 3rd and home to stop the pitcher noticing him in time.

And it has to be a lefty pitcher. Wait, it was a righty? How did he not notice the runner breaking? Can't watch the video at work. The link says the pitcher was concentrating on his feet? Embarrassing.

posted by tron7 at 10:19 AM on September 10, 2010

Yep, it was a northpaw on the mound. If I remember correctly, he was in the stretch, peering over his shoulder at first when the runner on third took off. I think the pitcher's teammates were probably yelling at him that a runner was taking off. It looked like the pitcher then panicked and went with the more familiar turn to second base.

posted by NoMich at 10:54 AM on September 10, 2010

Nah, he was looking at his shoes or something, obviously gets a call from a team mate that there's someone trying to steal and instinctively turns (admitedly all the way round, missing the guy on the home straight) to look at the guy on first, realises his mistake, but is far too late with the throw. Nelson dived in face first to touch home plate, but he probably could have made it just running.

In fact, thinking about it, the call must have come from 3rd, because he turns to his right to face whoever is calling him (in the process failing to spot Nelson in the shadows), probably gets a second, more emphatic call, so panics and continues to turn towards first.

Just out of interest, if the pitcher had realised where the runner was going and thrown to home, is the batter still allowed to hit it?

posted by JJ at 12:04 PM on September 10, 2010

Just out of interest, if the pitcher had realised where the runner was going and thrown to home, is the batter still allowed to hit it?

It depends.

If the pitcher doesn't take his foot off the rubber, then either the batter can hit it OR the umpire probably calls a balk (since he wouldn't have come to a complete stop during his delivery).

If he DOES take his foot off the rubber (which they instinctively do when throwing to a base for a pick-off attempt), then the batter can NOT swing at the ball.

posted by grum@work at 01:16 PM on September 10, 2010

Joe Posnanski weighs in on King Felix vs C.C., in enjoyable detail.

posted by DrJohnEvans at 02:12 PM on September 10, 2010

Jim Joyce is behind the plate for tonight's Tigers/Orioles game...his first game in Detroit since June 2nd, when he blew the call at first that cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game. The Tigers' starting pitcher tonight? Galarraga...

posted by MeatSaber at 06:49 PM on September 10, 2010

A goalkeeper learns an important lesson about momentum, physics, and friction.
And finishing the play.
And public humiliation.

It's like the soccer version of Patrick Roy's "Statue of Liberty" screw-up.

posted by grum@work at 12:10 AM on September 11, 2010

Nice video grum, that dumbass goalie was too busy getting his accolades from the crowd to be bothered with ensuring the ball stayed out of the goal.

posted by dviking at 01:10 AM on September 11, 2010

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