5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

[BleacherBum2310]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Just saw that Acuna play from yesterday, and yeesh that looked like a football or basketball injury and a pretty gruesome one. Apparently it's an ACL sprain among other things. Lucky he avoided worse.

Also, Mike Montgomery with one of the better starting efforts of the season for the Cubs today. Sure, it's Pittsburgh so maybe it doesn't count. But, I'd rather have Monty start than any of Darvish/Quintana/Chatwood at this point.

Chatwood for sure no on the other two. Montgomery has been pretty average and sometimes bad aside from today's start. but when he's right it's quick outs and alot of groundballs which is way better than walking every single batter.

on the Rizzo slide. Yeah it was bad, I would't call it dirty but i also wouldn't really argue it if you believed it was but the implications that he's a dirty player is so off base.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

I was just watching the Cubs/Pirates highlights and saw the Rizzo slide...that was pretty bush league. I am really surprised the replay review didn't overturn the error (heck, I'd have called it a DP based on baserunner interference). He was out by 15 feet and still slides into the catcher as he tries to make a throw from in front of the plate? People are going to defend that?

[Jr.]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

I was just watching the Cubs/Pirates highlights and saw the Rizzo slide...that was pretty bush league. I am really surprised the replay review didn't overturn the error (heck, I'd have called it a DP based on baserunner interference). He was out by 15 feet and still slides into the catcher as he tries to make a throw from in front of the plate? People are going to defend that?

Do you think it's busch league if it happens at second? Is he supposed to concede the double play attempt?

It's not an illegal slide, so I'm trying to figure out why it's such a bad play

[BigOscar]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Really think they can clear all these up much easier by just saying that you are out when the guy touches the base, so you therefore can't slide after that to try and break up the play. If it's close then fine, go for it, but if you're miles out then honestly you've got no business continuing to run the bases and definitely no right to try and take people out.

Rizzo has to run another 10 feet after being out to lunge at the catcher there.

[Sportsforever]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Do you think it's busch league if it happens at second? Is he supposed to concede the double play attempt?

It's not an illegal slide, so I'm trying to figure out why it's such a bad play

If it was bang-bang and the catcher was at the plate, then I'm fine with a hard slide. Instead, he was out 15 feet up the line, the catcher moves forward of the plate to get clear, and Rizzo goes out of his way to swing his legs into the catchers' as he slid. Even if the catcher had stupidly stood on home plate to make the throw and Rizzo slid hard, I'd have less issue with it...as it is, Rizzo went out of his way to take out the catcher who wasn't anywhere near home plate. Just not a good look, IMO.

EDIT - This guy is saying that he did break the current rulebook as written and if you look at that picture, I'd have to agree: https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/05/28...versial-slide/

[Jr.]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

If it was bang-bang and the catcher was at the plate, then I'm fine with a hard slide. Instead, he was out 15 feet up the line, the catcher moves forward of the plate to get clear, and Rizzo goes out of his way to swing his legs into the catchers' as he slid. Even if the catcher had stupidly stood on home plate to make the throw and Rizzo slid hard, I'd have less issue with it...as it is, Rizzo went out of his way to take out the catcher who wasn't anywhere near home plate. Just not a good look, IMO.

EDIT - This guy is saying that he did break the current rulebook as written and if you look at that picture, I'd have to agree: https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2018/05/28...versial-slide/

Touche. I guess the addendum that you only need to be in arms reach of the base is invalid then because if you're not sliding directly into the base, you had to have redirected your path. The only time you'd slide to the inside or outside of the base within your path is if you've rounded a base, and you obviously haven't done that if you're trying to break up a double play.

The idea of it needing to be bang-bang in order to try to break up a DP doesn't make sense. If it's going to be bang bang, you're not trying to break anything up; you're going to slide into the base to try to beat the throw. By nature, breaking up a double play is conceding that you're out and trying to make sure the other person isn't.

With everyone crying about how baseball has changed, I'm surprised to see people upset with this play. I keep expecting to hear "that's just good baseball" more

[Sportsforever]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Touche. I guess the addendum that you only need to be in arms reach of the base is invalid then because if you're not sliding directly into the base, you had to have redirected your path. The only time you'd slide to the inside or outside of the base within your path is if you've rounded a base, and you obviously haven't done that if you're trying to break up a double play.

The idea of it needing to be bang-bang in order to try to break up a DP doesn't make sense. If it's going to be bang bang, you're not trying to break anything up; you're going to slide into the base to try to beat the throw. By nature, breaking up a double play is conceding that you're out and trying to make sure the other person isn't.

With everyone crying about how baseball has changed, I'm surprised to see people upset with this play. I keep expecting to hear "that's just good baseball" more

Well, as the guy points out...the rule is different at home plate than it is at any other base.

As for it having to be bang-bang, the point is that the runner, fielder, ball are all arriving in the general vicinity at the same time...sure the runner might be out, but he's entitled to the base and with a good slide he can disrupt the play.

I think a key difference here is that the angle is different for a catcher than a 2B/SS turning the pivot. They can see the runner coming and can leave the ground/avoid him. The catcher a) can't see the runner coming down the line and b) can't leave the ground to avoid him. His only option is to take a few steps forward like in this situation...as such, he has to be protected, IMO, and that's why the rule is different at home plate than at the other bases.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

With everyone crying about how baseball has changed, I'm surprised to see people upset with this play. I keep expecting to hear "that's just good baseball" more

It's all a matter of context. In the context of before Buster Posey got lit up and before Chase Utley broke Ruben Tejada's leg, it would be exactly as you were expecting. Now that different rules are in place and players are expecting less contact to be acceptable in many baserunning plays, the context has changed and the expectation along with it.

EDIT: I think the Pirates' catcher nicely summarizes this:

Diaz agreed with his manager.

In my personal opinion, I don't think it was a good slide," Diaz said through his interpreter. "I understand that there's old-school baseball, but we're not in old-school baseball anymore. There are new rules and things we've submitted to, and even us as catchers have mentally prepared ourselves for, and I don't agree that that's a legal slide.

[PhilliesFan13]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Watching Brock Stewart pitch for the Dodgers is like watching a Sloth crawl. Man is sloooooowwww.

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[Speedy]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Atlanta defense today has been mediocre.

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[Speedy]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

...then a beautiful DP ends the 1st.

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[Sportsforever]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

We need a SS...Dansby is just meh. Maybe they should do what the scouts suggest...move Albies to SS and put Dansby at 2B.

[canes21]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Just saw the Rizzo slide. Only way I understand someone defending him is if they are a Cubs fan. Dirty slide all the way.

[Speedy]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

Boy, Rhys is bleeding pretty good.

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[Speedy]

Re: 5/21 - 6/3 Game Discussion Thread

I don't think I've ever seen a batter foul a ball off into his face like that

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