Wednesday, June 08, 2005
A LOT OF TALK, DUMB LOVE
I was prepared to devote this post to just Dontrelle Willis, the Mariners offense, and the Marlins Mermaids tonight. Unfortunately, due to a controversial play in the 8th inning, I have something else to talk about. Alright, the "controversial play":
Top of the 8th, Mariners down 5-4, 0 outs, Bret Boone on 1st, Mike Morse at the plate.
Morse flies out to Juan Encarnacion in foul territory. Encarnacion, who had a terrible game defensively, went into the stands as he was making the catch. Although from my point of view, he had made the catch right before he fell into the stands.
Boone tagged from 1st, and went all the way to 3rd. But wait...
There's this little thing called the Major League Baseball Official Rules!
Rule 7.04 (c) states:
7.04
Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one base when (c) A fielder, after catching a fly ball, falls into a bench or stand, or falls across ropes into a crowd when spectators are on the field; A fielder or catcher may reach or step into, or go into the dugout with one or both feet to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. Ball is in play. If the fielder or catcher, after having made a legal catch, should fall into a stand or among spectators or into the dugout after making a legal catch, or fall while in the dugout after making a legal catch, the ball is dead and runners advance one base without liability to be put out.
Baseball has a lot of dumb rules. This is one of those dumb rules.
If a player makes the catch and dives into the stands, then the runner should be able to advance at his own risk, whether it be from 1st to 3rd or 2nd to home. Who knows, if Boone would have been able to stay at 3rd, he possibly would have scored the tying run. You just never know.
But of course, it didn't end up that way.
Boone was given 2nd base, Jeremy Reed flied out, and Rene Rivera grounded out. End of inning. The M's go on to lose to the Marlins, 5-4. Winning streak snapped at 3.
There were a few positives to take from tonight's ballgame in Miami:
---Adrian Beltre went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI. We can only hope that Beltre starts to heat up.
---Julio Mateo giving up just one run during the 6th inning, where things really could have been worse. Walking Carlos Delgado brought Dontrelle Willis home. But knowing the power of the former Blue Jay, I'll take a bases loaded walk anyday.
---The Mariners scored 4 runs off of Dontrelle! Color me impressed. Really, I'm impressed. Dontrelle's ERA is now above 2, at 2.13. He's still filthy, however.
Look, it's hard to expect this team to win 4 in a row when they are going up against a pitcher such as Dontrelle Willis. He's probably the best pitcher the M's will face this season. While the Marlins' poor defense didn't help Willis, give credit to the M's offense. Scoring 4 runs off of the N.L.'s best pitcher so far? I'll take that.
Tomorrow, it's Aaron Sele vs Josh Beckett. It's not a great matchup like Dave Niehaus is proclaiming. But it's a matchup nonetheless.
In the meantime, you have the rest of the night to enjoy yourself. Well, I don't know how you can enjoy yourself after watching a Mariner loss. But I'll try to give y'all something.
How about the Marlins Mermaids? It may help you, it may not help you.
Enjoy yourself.
Top of the 8th, Mariners down 5-4, 0 outs, Bret Boone on 1st, Mike Morse at the plate.
Morse flies out to Juan Encarnacion in foul territory. Encarnacion, who had a terrible game defensively, went into the stands as he was making the catch. Although from my point of view, he had made the catch right before he fell into the stands.
Boone tagged from 1st, and went all the way to 3rd. But wait...
There's this little thing called the Major League Baseball Official Rules!
Rule 7.04 (c) states:
7.04
Each runner, other than the batter, may without liability to be put out, advance one base when (c) A fielder, after catching a fly ball, falls into a bench or stand, or falls across ropes into a crowd when spectators are on the field; A fielder or catcher may reach or step into, or go into the dugout with one or both feet to make a catch, and if he holds the ball, the catch shall be allowed. Ball is in play. If the fielder or catcher, after having made a legal catch, should fall into a stand or among spectators or into the dugout after making a legal catch, or fall while in the dugout after making a legal catch, the ball is dead and runners advance one base without liability to be put out.
Baseball has a lot of dumb rules. This is one of those dumb rules.
If a player makes the catch and dives into the stands, then the runner should be able to advance at his own risk, whether it be from 1st to 3rd or 2nd to home. Who knows, if Boone would have been able to stay at 3rd, he possibly would have scored the tying run. You just never know.
But of course, it didn't end up that way.
Boone was given 2nd base, Jeremy Reed flied out, and Rene Rivera grounded out. End of inning. The M's go on to lose to the Marlins, 5-4. Winning streak snapped at 3.
There were a few positives to take from tonight's ballgame in Miami:
---Adrian Beltre went 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI. We can only hope that Beltre starts to heat up.
---Julio Mateo giving up just one run during the 6th inning, where things really could have been worse. Walking Carlos Delgado brought Dontrelle Willis home. But knowing the power of the former Blue Jay, I'll take a bases loaded walk anyday.
---The Mariners scored 4 runs off of Dontrelle! Color me impressed. Really, I'm impressed. Dontrelle's ERA is now above 2, at 2.13. He's still filthy, however.
Look, it's hard to expect this team to win 4 in a row when they are going up against a pitcher such as Dontrelle Willis. He's probably the best pitcher the M's will face this season. While the Marlins' poor defense didn't help Willis, give credit to the M's offense. Scoring 4 runs off of the N.L.'s best pitcher so far? I'll take that.
Tomorrow, it's Aaron Sele vs Josh Beckett. It's not a great matchup like Dave Niehaus is proclaiming. But it's a matchup nonetheless.
In the meantime, you have the rest of the night to enjoy yourself. Well, I don't know how you can enjoy yourself after watching a Mariner loss. But I'll try to give y'all something.
How about the Marlins Mermaids? It may help you, it may not help you.
Enjoy yourself.
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