WWTBAM Bored

Reading this just made my head hurt! That was intense.

Kay

The Angels suffer another embarrassing loss, this time to the lowly Orioles. 10-8 in 16 innings. Tanner Scott gets the win despite surrendering 3 runs in the 15th. Center fielder Stevie Wilkerson pitches a 1-2-3 16th inning and gets the save. The Angels batters must have been exhausted at that point.

Orioles outfielder Stevie Wilkerson gets save, makes history

jarnon wrote:The Angels suffer another embarrassing loss, this time to the lowly Orioles. 10-8 in 16 innings. Tanner Scott gets the win despite surrendering 3 runs in the 15th. Center fielder Stevie Wilkerson pitches a 1-2-3 16th inning and gets the save. The Angels batters must have been exhausted at that point.

Orioles outfielder Stevie Wilkerson gets save, makes history

And the final out was made by Albert Pujols. A decade ago, that would have really been something...

Interesting that the Orioles inserted Chris Davis into the game to play first (and fill the vacated DH spot in the order) once Wilkerson moved to the mound. Davis got a victory when he was pressed into duty in a very long game about 6 years ago. Would have been fun to see a position player who has both a win and a save in emergency pitcher duty...

lb13

From a (Very) amateur umpire perspective, here's what we were taught. By the way, the MLB rule at the plate is very similar if not identical to what the NFHS (high school umpire organization) adopted two decades ago.

In the old days, the catcher was coached to have his feet straddling the third base line on plays at the plate. When the rule was changed, the coaching changed. Catchers were taught to keep both feet on one side or the other of the line. If they did that, the runner automatically has a lane to the plate. The catcher should not move across that line until he has possession of the ball. If he follows that guidance, and there is a collision at the plate, the runner is clearly in violation of the slide rule. The runner has a much clearer field of vision coming home, and is presumed to be able to choose his lane early. If Lucroy had crossed the foul line without possession of the ball, the call might be different. As it was, though, to my eye, the runner was clearly in violation.

And given the outcome in terms of injury, I think two games was too lenient. But that's Torre's judgment call, so no argument from me.