OT: World Series Game 3 ends with controversial call
Seeming to have been lost in the shuffle of a long sports day dominated by College Football (with a sprinkling of Michigan Soccer and Michigan hockey mixed in), World Series Game 3 was played Saturday night.
I admittedly paid very little attention to it, somewhat due to being burned out on baseball due to yet another disappointing end to the season for the Tigers. I only checked the score from time-to-time, finally tuning in during the 8th inning as the Red Sox tied it up with a 2-run rally 4-4, then paying close attention in the 9th.
What unfolded then is something I have never seen in any MLB game, let alone a Post Season game: a walk-off obstruction call:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpT7-9evb1Y
(hoping it embeds properly)
In a nutshell, for those who haven't seen it: Cards, with one down in the bottom of the 9th, got a single by Molina. Boston went to their closer, Koji Uehara, who immediately gave up a 1st pitch double to the next hitter. Runners on 2nd and 3rd with 1 out, the Red Sox strangely chose to pitch to the next hitter rather than load up the bases via intentional walk to set up the force.
It looked, momentarily, like the move worked, as the next hitter, on a 1-strike pitch, grounded to 2nd to a pulled-in infield, Pedroia making a diving stop and springing to his feet, easily throwing out Molina at home. Boston's catcher Saltalamaccia then fired off-line to the right side of 3rd, the ball bouncing off 3rd baseman Middlebrooks glove to the wall behind 3rd base (where it juts out), the ball then bouncing directly to the Red Sox left fielder, who fires home for what appears to be the double play.
Problem is, Sox 3B Middlebrooks got tangled with the runner, who in his clumsiness, tripped over Middlebrooks legs before trying to score. Thrown out by a couple feet, but Jim Joyce (remember him?) immediately (and correctly, IMO) called "obstruction of the baserunner", which meant the runner advances, scoring the winning run.
What a weird finish...
October 27th, 2013 at 9:39 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 11:03 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^
I'll conceed. "Beat down" is a bit hyperbolic. Truth be told, I'm being sensitive about my Sox.
October 27th, 2013 at 10:10 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
Nobody really "hates" the Red Sox as much as they hate the incredibly corporate, ESPN-approved narrative that surrounds them as a plucky band of guys who play the game "the right way" despite all evidence that they have a massive payroll, a history of players who abuse substances like every other team, and a significant part of the fanbase that thinks baseball started in 2004. And to be fair, the 2006 Tigers ushered in a fair number of those fans in the area as well, and I'd argue that Cards fans are just insuferable. But Boston holds a special place in the overwrought zeitgeist.
October 27th, 2013 at 9:22 AM ^
that sucks. I root for the Red Sox outside of the Tigers out of hateful spite for the Yankees.
October 27th, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 10:05 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 10:31 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^
I agree with Randy as a cubs fan. F the cards.
However, the right call was made. Just sucks for th Sox.
October 27th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 3:23 PM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
Exact same thing happened in Game 1 of the 2006 WS... If anyone remembers, Inge was not paying attention and got in the way of Scott Rolen heading home.
October 27th, 2013 at 10:51 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 11:01 AM ^
It was the right call, because the rulebook says nothing about intent and it was clear that he would have scored standing up without being tripped. The baserunner has a right to that basepath, and a player on the ground in front of him is an obstruction. I'm sure they'll look deeper into the rule this winter and see if it needs t be tweaked, but I think Joyce made the right call.
October 27th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
Good article written by Dave Cameron of fangraphs, obviously it would suck to lose a game like this especially after Pedroia's dive to stop the ball from getting through, but it was the right call.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/a-series-of-thoughts-on-the-call/
October 27th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
Got tangled? Clumsy runner? Totally mischaracterized by the OP. The thrid baseman clearly raises his feet to obstruct the runner.
October 27th, 2013 at 1:22 PM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 1:50 PM ^
Molina should not have run home in the first place.
October 27th, 2013 at 2:11 PM ^
October 27th, 2013 at 4:19 PM ^
It was the right move. As stated above, you want to put pressure on the defense to make a play. If Saltalamacchia would have held on to the ball like he should have, you would've had runners on first and third with two outs. Jay would then have likely taken second base on defensive indifference since his run didn't matter, and you're left with the same situation as if Molina had stayed put. Plus, you get Molina off the bases.
With Kozma on deck, the Cards really needed to win it there because there's no way Kozma comes through against Uehara.
October 27th, 2013 at 2:21 PM ^
Pedroia was playing in for a play at the plate. IF it had gotten by him Molina could have walked in. He was thrown out by a mile. There was only one out.
October 27th, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^
was a stupid way for a game to end.
no dog in this hunt (kind of hate both teams), but whatever the rule is, games shouldn't be decided by a call like that.
October 27th, 2013 at 6:29 PM ^
You shouldn't be allowed to prevent the winning run from scoring by tripping him (intentionally or not). If Craig is called out in spite of the obstruction, that would be total BS. It's not the umpires' or rule makers' fault it ended this way, it's Saltalamacchia's fault.
EDIT: Full disclosure: I am a totally biased Cards' fan.
October 28th, 2013 at 12:57 AM ^
one way or the other, either by calling it or by NOT calling it. Not calling it would have been worse IMO. It's like pass interference. Just because a ref decides NOT to call it doesn't mean that he isn't "deciding" the game.