2019 MLB (Non-Twins) Postseason Discussion Thread

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Let Strasberg finish it!

After those two extra runs, he probably shouldn't have come out for the ninth. Given the bullpen, you want the option of Strasburg tomorrow night.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I don't understand taking him out. All hands on deck tomorrow. Plus they see a reliever tonight they might see tomorrow. Mind. Boggling.

Strasburg shouldn't have come out at all for the ninth.

[Mike Sixel]

After those two extra runs, he probably shouldn't have come out for the ninth. Given the bullpen, you want the option of Strasburg tomorrow night.

The opposite. No way he pitches tomorrow.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

The opposite. No way he pitches tomorrow.

If that's how they feel, the decision is ridiculous.

 

But Strasburg is a free agent and it's game seven of the World Series. If he's not an option tomorrow night, that's some straight up awful management.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

The opposite. No way he pitches tomorrow.

that’s how I see it too. 95 or 104, or 115, he isn’t pitching Tomorrow. Complete that game. He was dealing

[Mike Sixel]

If that's how they feel, the decision is ridiculous.

 

But Strasburg is a free agent and it's game seven of the World Series. If he's not an option tomorrow night, that's some straight up awful management.

If they are even thinking about pitching him tomorrow, he should not have come out. But putting in Doolittle is really stupid

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

If they are even thinking about pitching him tomorrow, he should not have come out. But putting in Doolittle is really stupid

... I said he shouldn't have come out for the ninth.

 

But honestly, I get using Dolittle for the ninth. It wouldn't be my choice but I get it.

 

My biggest issue is Strasburg coming out at all.

[Mike Sixel]

... I said he shouldn't have come out for the ninth.

 

But honestly, I get using Dolittle for the ninth. It wouldn't be my choice but I get it.

 

My biggest issue is Strasburg coming out at all.

Funny. We couldn't be more opposite on this one.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

that’s how I see it too. 95 or 104, or 115, he isn’t pitching Tomorrow. Complete that game. He was dealing

Oh man, I disagree. There was nothing but pride at play to finish that game.

 

Pride doesn't really matter after game six of the World Series.

 

Strasburg shouldn't have come out for the ninth and if it's close, he SURE AS **** should be on the mound in game seven. The guy is pure gold right now. You've ridden that until now, keep riding it for one or two more innings tomorrow.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

Funny. We couldn't be more opposite on this one.

Randy Johnson says "hi".

[Hosken Bombo Disco]

Randy Johnson says "hi".

oh man forgot about that.

 

Looked it up. A 7.0 inning start in Game 6 in 2001, then the final 1.1 innings of Game 7 the next night. Why not?

[biggentleben]

I understand that Strasburg will likely opt out, but he's not a free agent. That reporting is simply inaccurate. I heard it on the radio pregame tonight. Then again, the game feed from MLB.com for radio was the Astros feed, and they apparently haven't ever watched baseball outside of Houston.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Didn’t Bumgarner do the same thing, pitched in Game 6 and 7.

[AlwaysinModeration]

That was the worst umpiring call I’ve ever seen in a World Series game. The umps were lucky that Rendon hit that home run.

[AlwaysinModeration]

Sorry, Bumgarner pitched a complete game 5 and then relieved for 5 shutout innings in game 7.

[USAFChief]

That was the worst umpiring call I’ve ever seen in a World Series game. The umps were lucky that Rendon hit that home run.

I think it was the right call.

 

The problem is a poorly designed rule, that forces the batter to run in foul territory until the last step, when the base is in fair territory.

 

And BTW, the call is not reviewable. It's a judgement call.

 

Also, while I understand Davey Martinez being hot, that was ridiculous.

 

And while I'm on a role, Bregman carrying the bat to 1st base is bush league jackassery. And Soto mocking him by doing the same is no better. Baseball is worse off for all this preening, showboating, and lack of respect for the game and your opponent.

[Mike Sixel]

Blah, blah, blah.

 

Now that we aren't taking about having fun.....

 

It's a terrible rule. Run between the lines, where the throw goes should be irrelevant. The runner can't control the throw.... Altuve ran way more in the way, but the throw was better....

[USAFChief]

Blah, blah, blah.

 

Now that we aren't taking about having fun.....

 

It's a terrible rule. Run between the lines, where the throw goes should be irrelevant. The runner can't control the throw.... Altuve ran way more in the way, but the throw was better....

I agree it's a bad rule.

 

But you cant change the rule in the middle of a WS game.

 

The call was correct.

 

And for the record, Bregman said post game he wishes he wouldnt have done that with the bat.

 

It's not about fun. There was no "fun" in that.

[beckmt]

 

Verlander is going to somehow lose his 6th straight World Series start, isn't he... that'll be a record I find unlikely to be ever broken. It's just weird how the Nationals get their mojo on in road games, but can't hit at home.

Check out Big Don Newcomb from the 50's Dodgers,  I don't think Verlander is close.

[wavedog]

 

Blah, blah, blah.

Now that we aren't taking about having fun.....

It's a terrible rule. Run between the lines, where the throw goes should be irrelevant. The runner can't control the throw.... Altuve ran way more in the way, but the throw was better....

Agreed - Turner ran in a straight-line from the Right-Hand batter's box to first base.  He did not exaggerated to initiate the contact.   In fact, with the bad throw I think Gurriel purposely initiated contact with Turner to attempt to get the interference call.     I would love to see a compilation of all the RH hitters as they run to first base and I think you would see Turner's is nothing out of the ordinary.   This call should not have been made by the umpire - he used poor judgement.   The throw was not from the first base line it came between 3rd base and the pitcher's mound.   

[Old Twins Cap]

The call on Turner at 1B, was a bad call, but it's all interpretable. 

 

I didn't think he interfered; Gurriel just missed the throw.

 

The key on that play is that you very rarely see it called when the ball is hit down the 3B line.

 

It's almost exclusively used for plays on the right side of the diamond, when, running outside the white line ruins the angle with which a fielder can get the ball to 1B, usually the catcher or pitcher.

 

On 3B side,  if the ball is sailing into the runner, it's not the runners fault, and is a function of how close the play is going to be at 1B.

 

Should not be called when ball is hit to the 3B side of the diamond.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I didn't like it, but the ruling was correct. Rule [5.09(a)(11)]:

 

 

 

In running the last half of the distance from home base to
first base, while the ball is being fielded to first base, he
runs outside (to the right of ) the three-foot line, or inside
(to the left of ) the foul line, and in the umpire’s judgment
in so doing interferes with the fielder taking the throw at
first base, in which case the ball is dead; except that he
may run outside (to the right of ) the three-foot line or
inside (to the left of ) the foul line to avoid a fielder
attempting to field a batted ball;

Rule 5.09(a)(11) Comment: The lines marking the three-foot
lane are a part of that lane and a batter-runner is required to
have both feet within the three-foot lane or on the lines marking the lane. The batter-runner is permitted to exit the threefoot lane by means of a step, stride, reach or slide in the immediate vicinity of first base for the sole purpose of touching first
base.

 

Avoiding contact -- even incidental contact -- between the runner and fielder, or runner and ball, is the whole reason the "running lane" exists. If the runner chooses not to use the running lane, and contact is made with the fielder or ball, it's interference, whether intentional or not. It's a risk the runner takes to get a slightly more direct path to the bag.

 

In this case, Turner didn't use the running lane, contacted Gurriel's glove just before the ball arrived, and of course the ball hit him as well.

 

It seemed crazy at the time, but actually it's a pretty obvious interference call.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Altuve ran way more in the way, but the throw was better....

And by doing so, Altuve took the risk that if he contacted the fielder or ball, he too would be out for interference.

 

I think Smoltz mentioned it on the broadcast, but players are taught to try throwing ball through the runner there if necessary, precisely because of the potential interference call.

[Diesel]

I think it was a bad call because 1. A really awful rule and 2. Turner was already at the bag when the throw came in!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

2. Turner was already at the bag when the throw came in!

Not quite. Turner's foot had not yet touched the bag when he made contact with Gurriel's glove, or when the ball first hit him. (Not that reaching the bag is explicitly part of the rule, although I could see how an umpire could include that in his judgment, especially if they made this kind of play reviewable in the future.)

[Otto von Ballpark]

Here's a direct link to the replay, if anyone wants to re-live the excitement.

 

https://cuts.diamond.mlb.com/FORGE/2019/2019-10/29/f60bf3c7-5565e07c-51532773-csvm-diamondx64-asset_1280x720_59_4000K.mp4

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Also, while I understand Davey Martinez being hot, that was ridiculous.

If he had gotten tossed right away, I would have understood it better. But fighting off your own coaches to get tossed after the inning seemed like a bit much!

 

I wonder if Chip Hale made the call to go to Doolittle in the 9th, or if that was from Martinez or had been planned earlier -- I would have left Strasburg in, I think.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I don't understand taking him out. All hands on deck tomorrow. Plus they see a reliever tonight they might see tomorrow. Mind. Boggling.

 

I get that vibe too. Not that Doolittle should be too affected by 11 pitches, but yeah, Alvarez got to see him for one more PA and 3 more pitches. Correa got to see him for a 3rd PA this series too, although he's only seen 4 total pitches. And Strasburg's availability for game 7 likely has nothing to do with whether he throws 104 or 115 pitches in game 6.

 

On the other hand, it's a bit of a gray area. Maybe Doolittle wants the work? Prior to last night, he had only pitched twice in the last 2 weeks, 27 pitches total. It's not necessarily a bad idea to throw a few low-leverage game-action pitches to get ready for game 7 -- he's not going to be used for more than 3-4 outs or 20-some pitches in game 7 anyway.

 

That was the sense I got from Scherzer getting loose during this game too, it was as much preparation for game 7 as it was for game 6.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

After those two extra runs, he probably shouldn't have come out for the ninth. Given the bullpen, you want the option of Strasburg tomorrow night.

Strasburg threw 2 pitches in the 9th. Does that make him appreciably less of an option for game 7 duty?

 

Trivia time: Randy Johnson threw 104 pitches in 2001's game 6 -- exactly the same as Strasburg last night!

 

FWIW, I wonder if Johnson's pitches were lower stress -- 59 of those pitches came after the Diamondbacks had already staked him to a 12-0 lead, and 47 after it went to 15-0. Not that MLB players probably let up too much in World Series Game 6, but Strasburg was undeniably in much higher leverage spots for 8 innings last night. That might be a greater factor in his Game 7 availability than him coming out for a low-leverage 9th.

[Otto von Ballpark]

On the topic of interference, here's a video from a few years ago with an ump explaining it:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI82sPn1Uj0