04/19/24
April 29, 2021
SportsFilter: The Thursday 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.
MLB Umpire Marty Foster tries to explain a really bad call, but he seems to get the explanation wrong too. Rule 5(a)(11) states that a batter is out when he runs outside the 3-foot running lane in the last 45 feet before 1st base, and in so doing interferes with a fielder making a play. Obstruction is the act of a fielder not in possession of the ball impeding the progress of a runner. What we have here appears to be a conflict between 2 rules. A fielder in the act of fielding the ball has the absolute right of way. In this case the fielder has completed his play and has made a throw to 1st base. He does not appear to impede the runner, although the runner seems to make a slight step to one side, and if the runner had been running within the lane, no avoidance would have been necessary. Foster claims that the obstruction was a judgement call,and that it cannot be reviewed nor overturned. He is correct in this, but in making the call should have looked at the entire play. The runner was clearly outside the 3-foot running lane, if he made any move to avoid the fielder, it was slight, and the play at 1st base was not at all close. There should have been no obstruction call on the play, and it ultimately cost a team the win.
posted by Howard_T at 05:42 PM on April 29, 2021
Jomboy went over this yesterday. I love the title of his video: Ump makes an incredibly unnecessary call, a breakdown
posted by NoMich at 05:56 PM on April 29, 2021
The thing that kills me about the NFL Draft is the certainty. Every top draft pick is a can't miss -- especially a quarterback. There's almost never any expression of uncertainty, even when somebody talks about how the team needs a quarterback to replace a can't miss quarterback who isn't even 24 yet.
posted by rcade at 06:27 PM on April 29, 2021
It's better to be viewed as a decent QB in College than a superstar in almost all draft years. Teams that draft in the top 10 picks always have major weaknesses throughout their roster unless the draft position was obtained via trade. High draft picks in other positions can often be rushed into the roster early as they are rarely the focus of every offensive or defensive play, mistakes are expected during their growth, and they can be substituted when necessary. A CB who becomes a solid starter in his 4th year is seen as a genious draft pick; a QB on a team that hasn't turned a 3-13 team into a playoff contender in year 2 rarely gets another opportunity in the league.
posted by cixelsyd at 12:27 PM on April 30, 2021
Today's anagram:
Mel Kiper Jr :: Prelim Jerk
Take off the "Jr" and you get: Mr Eke Lip
Or: Mr Eek Lip if you like