Ya Got It?

[nolemmings]

Originally Posted by clydepepper

That was just wrong: If an infielder drops the ball in transferring it from glove to hand, the out is counted...should be the same for a catcher.


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I don't disagree but apparently there is a difference between a batted ball and one that is thrown, in the infield anyway. So if a middle infielder receives a throw and then maybe drops it before transferring it to his throwing hand the play can be reviewed, but if a line drive is hit to an infielder who, in his haste to double up a baserunner drops or maybe drops it while going to his throwing hand, the ump's call of catch or no catch cannot be reviewed. I'm not saying I agree with that rule nor do I claim 100% certainty that I stated it correctly, but that is really the only distinction I can see. If so, I guess the fact that the bat hit the ball makes it a catch/no catch decision that cannot be reviewed.

[nolemmings]

As for the infield fly rule, that was just an umpire snafu, and I would expect Eddings to be quietly punished. That play was about as obvious an example of when the infield fly should be called as you will ever see. There is no reasonable explanation for Eddings not being aware that the rule was in play, and all umpires are supposed to raise their arm to signal it once it has been called.

What is surprising to me is how ignorant the baserunners acted, and in that sense, Eddings' blunder should not excuse their idiocy. Even the runner going to third thought he was out, as did the runner from first. Neither understood that they had no obligation to run and that they should stay put or easily be tagged out. Come to think of it, the fielders were really no smarter, except for Goldschmidt. The SS who took the throw at third base should have tagged the incoming runner rather than act as if he had accomplished a forceout, and the 2B too acted as if he need not tag the runner until Goldschmidt screamed at him to do so. Baseball 101.