[Curse you, human need for sleep! Fortunately, Doug covered the big story.]
Nationals 6, @Blue Jays 2: So what else is new? Six strong by Strasburg (8 Ks, just 89 pitches); two scoreless by Stammen (4 Ks); six straight wins over all for Washington, and 7 straight against three erstwhile AL East powers.
- Strasburg is the first pitcher to 100 strikeouts this year. He also leads the majors in K rate, 11.7 SO/9.
- Tyler Moore rewarded the club’s persistence — they drafted him three times and finally bagged him in 2008 — with a monster game, downing his first 5 big-league rib-eyes in one sitting: 2-run double to start the scoring, 2-run HR to break another tie, and a bonus bomb for 10 total bases, the most by a Nat in since last June 15. Both HRs off the bat of the big 25-year-old RH masher cleared 400 feet. Before his call-up from AAA Syracuse, Moore had a 1.032 OPS and 26 RBI in 28 games, after averaging 74 extra-base hits the past 2 years and leading first the Carolina and then the Eastern League with 31 HRs (at least 6 more than anyone else). A dismal SO/BB ratio kept his BA around .270 then, but he improved that at AAA this year, with a .310 BA and .372 OBP. He has not walked in 31 PAs.
- In Nats/Expos history, only Danny Espinosa had a 10-TB game quicker than Moore’s 16th career game. But Espo did it in a meaningless September blowout.
- Tenth relief outing of 2+ IP for Stammen this year, tops in MLB. The former starter has a 1.67 ERA in 32.1 IP, and the Nats are 17-8 in his appearances.
- Hopefully no lasting damage to the arm of Kyle Drabek, who left abruptly after feeling a “pop” but seemed OK after postgame tests. I suspect it will provide a convenient opportunity to get him out of the rotation; he has a 6.32 ERA in his last 8 starts, with 32 walks and 21 Ks in 41.1 IP.
Mets @Rays (commentary begun in top-5): Anticipated duels are sometimes duds, but not this one so far: 14 of the first 25 outs in this game came by K, with 8 of 13 batters whiffed by the streaking R.A. Dickey, owner of the longest scoreless streak in MLB this year. The Mets just got an earned run off David Price, which as much as he’s allowed in any of his past 4 starts.
- And just like that, Price lost it: After one measly hit in the first four frames, he surrendered 4 for 3 runs in the 5th, and 4 more to start the 6th, all of whom tallied. Seven earned runs ties the most ever against Price, done by the Yanks 2 years ago. He had not allowed more than 5 runs in 59 starts since then, the longest active streak in MLB — no more.
- The sweetest thing about baseball, to me, is redemption. Why does it seem like a bigger narrative factor on the diamond than in other sports? I guess it’s because individual chances are so much more clearly defined and scheduled. Anyway, Mets backup C Mike Nickeas squelched a Mets 3rd-and-1st threat in the 2nd with a DP, extending his season-long slump to 9 for 68 (which may just be his true ability). But in his next AB, he fouled off a 1-2 breaking ball, then lined a tough low fastball up the middle for an RBI to put the Mets in front.
- Six straight games with at least 8 Ks for Dickey, the longest streak in MLB since last June-July, when CC Sabathia had 7 straight and Clayton Kershaw had 6. No Met has had a longer streak since 1992, 10 by David Cone.
- It’s bound to turn out moot — right? — but the only “hit” (and runner) off Dickey through 6 IP was a 1st-inning bouncer by B.J. Upton down the 3B line that David Wright tried to bare-hand and missed. He would have had Upton with a handle and a true throw, but Keith Hernandez thought Wright had time to use the leather; oh, well. Tampa has had nothing else even close to a hit. Only 8 have put the ball in play; there was a sharp one-hopper right at the SS, and a long foul bomb, and that’s it.
- Dickey through 8 now with no other runners, career-high 12 Ks, 96 pitches. You never know how things might have gone if Wright had made that play, but there hasn’t been a time in the last few innings when the Rays even looked like they were capable of getting a hit off Dickey. He had two 3-ball counts, back-to-back in the 4th, both after getting 2 strikes, and he fanned ’em both.
- Dickey finished the 1-hit, no-walk effort — his 2nd career 1-hitter — but his Mets-record scoreless streak ended at 32.2 IP on an unearned run in the 9th: a throwing error by Wright, two passed balls charged to Nickeas (you just can’t fault the catcher on a knuckleball), and an easy groundout to SS. They probably could have gotten the out at home if it mattered, but that’s not how you play the game with a 9-0 lead.
- Dickey has wins in 5 straight starts (39.2 IP, 1 run, 20 hits, 3 walks, 50 Ks) and 8 straight decisions. He would have been the first Met ever to win 4 straight scoreless starts. His 8 starts of 1 run or less are tied for the most this year (with more IP in his games than those of Brandon Morrow or Zack Greinke).
OK, back to the roundup….
@Rangers 1, Diamondbacks 0: A scoreless duel in Dallas? Since its 1994 opening, there have been 5 games in Rangers Ballpark wherein neither starting pitcher allowed a run, just 3 in which they both went 7+ innings (2006-09-15, 2005-05-09, 2000-08-25). Matt Harrison, coming off a CG shutout, departed unscathed-as-yet after a 1-out double in the visitors’ 8th, and Mike Adams stranded the runner. Arizona’s Wade Miley began the night with a 2.44 ERA in 9 starts and hurled 7 dominant innings (2 hits, no walks, 79 pitches, 58 strikes), but opened the 8th with a leadoff walk. After a sac and a K, Craig Gentry killed the goose that laid the scoreboard eggs with an RBI single.
- Joe Nathan set down the side in the 9th, completing the 11th 1-0 game in Rangers Park history and 2nd this year (2012-04-10). Texas has won the last 5 of those.
Yankees 3, @Braves 2: Brian McCann turned around a 1-0 deficit with a 2-run HR in the 5th, his first RBI this month. But New York answered right back with their own 2-run blast, Curtis Granderson‘s 19th, after a Jeter single.
- 40-HR seasons by Yankees CFs: Mantle 4, DiMaggio 1, Granderson 1.
- Just for laughs, Atlanta used their best pitcher in a close game, and Craig Kimbrel struck out 3 — including Nick Swisher. Last one out, lock the barn door behind you.
Athletics @Rockies (in progress): CoorsBall is back! Oakland jumped in front on a 2-run HR in the 1st by Seth Smith, the ex-Rockie who began the night 13 for his last 24, against Josh Outman, for whom Smith was traded. But Todd Helton answered in the home half with his 2nd grand slam this year, tying him with 5 others for the MLB lead, and they tacked on a run with 2 out when Outman foiled an intentional walk with his first career hit and RBI.
- Smith’s HR was the first off Outman this year, who has otherwise been hammered from pillar to post in his big-league outings. It also gave Smith 32 HRs at Coors in 613 career ABs, along with 41 doubles and 14 triples.
- Several additional runs were scored, with more likely before the book is closed. Did we mention this year’s 120 Park Factor in Coors Field?
Brewers 3, @Royals 3 (11th): One of the most HR-dependent teams was on the verge of improving to 4-17 without a round-tripper. But some guys just can’t pitch to the situation. With one out and none aboard in the 9th, the absolute worst thing John Axford could have done was to walk anyone, much less a guy with a .283 OBP. But he missed with all 4 pitches to Eric Hosmer, and after the 2nd out, he missed 4 out of 5 to Mike Moustakas. Yeah, Moustakas could tie it up with one swing, and yeah, Alcides Escobar rarely homers — but Escobar doubles more often than Moustakas homers, and thanks to Axford, a double was now all he needed. And on a 2-1 pitch, Escobar tripled home the tying runs.
- Between Axford and K-Rod, the late-inning Crew is a mess — each has a WHIP over 1.5, as does the entire Brewer bullpen. Their 4.48 ERA (through Tuesday) is the only one within a run of the Mets’ arson ring.
- After teaming up on a relay that cut down the go-ahead run at the plate to end the home 6th, Edwin Maysonet and Ryan Braun continued the partnership in the next frame to give their squad the lead, with Braun delivering a 2-out single after the backup SS led off with a single and later stole third for his first career SB.
I wonder if the official scorer would have ruled an error on Upton’s ball if it came in the 9th inning as opposed to the 1st?
That close to a second no-hitter in a couple of weeks. When Santana tossed his gem, I jokingly (although half serious) suggested the Mets would end up tossing another no-hitter or two this season after getting none in fifty years. Came as close as could be tonight.
Giants 10 – 0 Astros
Perfect game to Matt Cain with 14Ks. First for the Giants.
Wow!
Arrias almost blew the last play at 3B, though it was a hard one.
Yeah that got me a bit nervous when Arias double-clutched.
Really hope that the Mets get that called overturned. Sure it’ll cheapen the accomplishment a little bit, but how else are you going to top June 29, 1990?
It’ll never be overturned. Nor should it be, IMHO.
Just like the call on Carlos Beltran’s hit ball in Johan’s no-no, these things are all part of the game. I could see it being ruled a hit or an error at the time, but my guess is they would have ruled it an error if it was late in the game since the scorer wouldn’t take the no-hitter a way on either-or call like that. In the first, I didn’t really really blink an eye.
Have to agree… but wow, Dickey was smoking last night. The Rays looked like they had wiffle bats.
Even if the official scorer was clearly wrong — which I would not go so far as to say — and even though I am a Mets fan, and even though Dickey’s performance deserves to be enshrined as perhaps the greatest in Mets history, I would be disappointed if the call were overturned.
A big part of the difficulty in throwing a no-hitter is withstanding the pressure in the late innings. Dickey, while surely trying to preserve the shutout, had no such pressure. And while I truly don’t think it would have made a difference in his results, it just wouldn’t be fair, especially to those who have lost a no-no in the 9th.
“A big part of the difficulty in throwing a no-hitter is withstanding the pressure in the late innings.”
Seems like some interesting analyses could be done on that topic, looking at the numbers of no hitters carried into, say, the 5th through 9th innings. Since hits have been recorded forever, you could go way back in time on that.
Jim, the hard part of that — for those of us outside the Elias Sports Bureau, who depend on Baseball-Reference for raw data — would be collecting the data worth analyzing.
Data broken out by innings is readily available on a seasonal basis. But on a single-game basis, the search tools can only find an individual’s totals for the game. I know of no way to find games in which a pitcher allowed no hits through N innings, but allowed one or more hits afterwards.
Jim, I wonder though what that would show, or maybe what I’m wondering is how that type of study would be constructed. How many games have we all of us watched where the pitcher has had a no-hitter through five, six, or even seven innings? Lots. So many they are unmemorable. Many, many, many, many more no-hitters have been lost after the 5th inning than there have been no-hitters pitched. Yet that doesn’t mean they were lost because of the pressure of late innings.
There may be a way of doing this, but I’m not sure what it is on first pass.
I do think pressure plays a part of it, but luck is still probably the biggest factor. Heck, David Wells pitched a perfect game hung over and on two hours of sleep. We apparently had one pitcher, Dock Ellis, pitch a no-hitter tripping on acid. And I ask, how is that this game is not shown on MLB Classics. I want to see that game!
Regardless of how much of the difficulty of a no-hitter is from the late inning pressure, the late innings are central to the mystique and experience of the event.
I find no-hitters to be far more compelling when it is either a game I’ve been watching or something that I notice around the 5th inning. Watching them unfold from the 5th or 6th inning when it is probably still too early to start treating them as a legitimate threat and into the latter innings is the experience to me. This just builds dramatically from the 7th onward. If I happen to be asleep or otherwise unaware of the events and see the game at its conclusion I find them far less interesting.
On a related note, if the data that Jim references were available, I’ve long been interested to see a graph or table showing the probability of a pitcher completing a no-hitter after retiring X number of batters without allowing a hit.
John, Mike:
Yes, good points. Indeed, I was wondering about both of those things (whether the necessary data is readily available or not and just exactly how one would go about doing the analysis) while I was writing the comment.
w.r.t Mike’s question, I have a vague idea of comparing hit numbers in late innings for pitchers who do, versus do not, have a no-hitter going (but there are a number of complications with that approach), but that’s as far as I’ve gotten, and of course, the data availability issue still remains at any rate
Looks very clearly to me like another perfectly valid reason to think more about the topic rather than work…
Jim, I wonder if a comparison between one-hitters and no-hitters would yield anything interesting. Taking Dickey’s masterful game the other day as a launching point, would the data show that pitchers giving up no hits were more likely to give up a hit in the 8th and 9th innings than pitchers who had only given up a single hit in the early part of the game, thus removing the pressure element.
As for ignoring work on a Friday, well, ummm, I have no comment.
Mike, I was thinking along those very lines. I think such a comparison would be interesting. Basically, compare pitchers who are really “on” (say, throwing a 0,1, or 2 hitter) but who are in very different situations in terms of the potential pressure of throwing a no-hitter. Just compare the number of hits they give up in the late innings and look for statistically significant differences.
One problem of course is that now we’re in the “set up man and closer” era, so a lot of those guys pitching good games aren’t pitching the 8th and 9th innings.
Here’s what happened in Virgil Trucks’ 2nd no-hitter of 1952, against the Yankees. In the 3rd inning Phil Rizzuto hit a ground ball to 3B Johnny Pesky. Pesky had difficulty getting the ball out of his glove and Rizzuto reached base safely. Scorer John Drebinger ruled it an error. His colleague Dan Daniel got into the act and convinced Drebinger to rule it a hit, which he did. By the 6th inning the Yankees had no other hits and that got Drebinger thinking. He was able to make contact with Pesky by phone. Pesky said that that play was definitely an error on his part. Drebinger again reversed his call and charged Pesky with an error. Trucks finished the game by not allowing any hits and got his no-hitter.
Good point, Richard. And here’s the play-by-play for that game.
P.S. It’s always fun to note that Trucks in 1952 won 2 no-hitters and a 1-hitter — there was just one other no-hitter that year, and and 8 other 1-hitters — and yet he had just 2 other wins that year, going 5-19. And while he pitched better than his record, it wasn’t all that much better. Just a weird season.
Reply to post 36.
Trucks had 3 CG of one or fewer hits that year. That has been matched by only 5 other pitchers in the game searchable era.
Jim Tobin…..1944
Bob Feller…1946
Dean Chance…1967
Nolan Ryan…1973
Dave Stieb…1988
No David Wright, Arrias be.
Re RA
I really, really want RA To succeed. I want him to get 20+ wins, and I want him to have the best ERA in the NL. Please let this happen.
Because, then I want to see the Cy Young voting. And I want to see the ums and ahs as they old guard realize that the best pitcher going is a knuckle-baller. And then I want to see their reasoning for giving it to someone else. Someone who is a real pitcher, like Cain or Strasbourg.
All fantasy, I know 😉
I heard Jayson Stark on the four letter network say that a scout told
him that RA is the best knuckleballer he has ever seen.
Maybe it won’t be a fantasy.
I sometimes find those unattributed quotes from scouts and talent evaluators to be a bit questionable and at times annoying. Who is the scout, how old is he, did he ever see the Niekro brothers and others, such as Wilbur Wood, pitch in their prime?
If you ever read Buster Olney, who is always using unattributed quotes from “scouts,” you will come away believing that either almost all scouts are dumb, or Olney only knows dumb scouts.
I have also read a lot of hot-air anonymous scout quotes in Buster’s work, but I wouldn’t blame him nor assume that most scouts are dumb.
When you consider the nature of a scout’s life — countless (and mostly thankless) hours of watching baseball on every level, always behind the scenes — as well as human nature, it’s understandable that they might be flattered by the attention and be tempted to inflate their true opinion for the chance to be quoted.
Also, I think their employers require them to be anonymous, and most people will be freer in their remarks if their name isn’t attached.
Mark, I do think it will be an interesting test, if he does wind up with deserving numbers.
Eyeing the situation right now, he has one enormous factor in his favor: a 10-1 record. I wouldn’t say he’s been win-lucky, but I do think he’s won every game he deserved to win this year (which obviously wasn’t so in years past). And while we may be past the age when the wins leader was the default CYA winner, it sure doesn’t hurt.
And is there really bias against a knuckleballer in the CYA voting? I think they’re viewed skeptically within the game, by talent evaluators, etc. But to the extent that superb years by knucklers like Niekro and Wilbur Wood were snubbed in the voting, I think that was far more due to the obsession with won-lost records.
It’s probably true, as Bill James said, that the internal bias usually leads to knuckleballers being on weaker teams, who can’t afford to be so choosy in filling out their rosters. That was certainly true of Niekro and Wood in their best years. Combine that with the knuckleballer’s inherent edge in terms of staying in the game, and you get results like Wood’s 13 losses in ’71, when he led the AL in ERA+ and was the runaway leader in WAR; or Niekro going 19-18 in ’78 despite an even bigger WAR lead.
But I think that if Dickey goes 20-7 or something, he’ll get a fair shake in the voting. Especially if he has a better ERA than Strasburg and is in the neighborhood in Ks, both of which are true right now.
I’m not sure if this has been noted, but the Astros are striking out a lot in June. 129 times in 11 June games, including 9 double digit games: 10, 15, 7, 11, 11, 13, 13, 9, 13, 13, 14.
It has now, Evan — by you, and by me quoting you in my Thursday post.
Carlos Beltran hit his 19th HR and is on pace for 49 HR’s for the season. These 49 dingers would tie Ruth for the 2nd highest total ever compiled by a 35 year old. And, once again, as proof that steroids work, 30 % ahead of the pack with 65 homeruns at age 35, none other than Cardinals batting instructor Mark McGwire in 1999
Nice job by Cain. That’s certainly one way to overcome a lack of run support, but 10-0, he’s not exactly “pitching to the score”
Not directly related to Wednesday, but I just voted for the All Star game and noticed that 2 of the top 5 in the AL in bWAR, Mike Trout and Jason Kipnis, are not even on the ballot. Maybe MLB should stop making the ballots in April.
I take that back, only Trout isn’t on there.
Just to finish the Royals/Brewers game up, which the Royals won 4-3 in 11 innings in the only way you can truly Walk off, with a bases loaded walk, the Brew Crew walked 2 batters in the bottom of the 9th (Hosmer and Moose) both of whom scored on Escobar’s triple and then walked the same players again in the 11th (sandwiched around Butler and Frenchy singles), with Moose’s bases loaded walk driving home the winning run.
Tyler Moore had 5 RBI in the first game he had any RBI. Is that a record?
kds, it’s not a record, and this is one that I actually remember — Starlin Castro had 6 RBI in his MLB debut. I’m not sure if that is a record, but it does mean that Moore’s feat is not one.
P.S. Gary Cohen during Mets postgame, after noting that Tyler Moore had 2 HRs and 5 RBI, asked, “Did he whirl and throw his hat in the air afterwards?”, then added, “He really should play for Minnesota, no?”
For those of us of a certain age, it brought smiles.
Four others have driven in 5 runs in their first ML game: Walter Mueller, Ben Grieve, Joe Cunningham and Pat Borders.
For Castro, that was a 3-Run homer in his first PA… off of Homer Bailey.
Than, in the 5th, a bases loaded triple off of Micah Owings, who homered in the game as a reliver.
He did this out of the 8-hole.
And he went the next 9 games without a ribby.
And why has Owings not been given more of a chance to swing the bat?
The Reds sort of got the idea in 2008-2009, having him PH 34 times, and doing it well. Since then? Fffffhhhhtttt…
You know, I heard Gary Cohen make that same comment, and I have to admit that I had no idea what he was talking about. Somehow it all makes sense now that I see it in print.
He can turn the world on with his smile
Rico!!!!!!
(I wanted you to feel that love is all around.)
Re: RA Dickey’s 6-game 8K streak. The game before his streak began, he struck out…ZERO! I tried to look up the longest streak that began this way, but there were too many to manually check.
I just watched the “hit” where Wright tried to barehand it.
Can’t see how that was NOT ruled an error.
It was a botched catch on a play that was Not clearly going to be an infield hit.
Upton is very fast, but he is also right handed and got a poor jump out of the box.
It is possible that even if Wright gloves/transfers he could throw Upton out.
We will never know, because he didn’t even catch it. Hence, error.
But David Wright himself said the play should have been ruled a hit. About the Mets’ appeal of the decision, RA Dickey has said that it would be wrong and embarrassing if the hit decision were overturned.
Agreed that the appeal should never have been made and should not be upheld, for a number of reasons — including that it’s almost impossible to judge the play objectively now, knowing what’s at stake.
I’m not sure what David Wright’s opinion adds to the discussion, though. He has a conflict of interest either way you look at it.
I will add a rare criticism of Gary Cohen. While broadcasting today’s game, he commented on the appeal (very skeptically), adding words to the effect of “nobody who saw the play live thought it was an error.” Oh? I was watching that 1st inning live, and I thought it was an error. And Gary’s own partner, Keith Hernandez, said forcefully and immediately after the play that Wright should have gloved it.
In my opinion, it was clearly an error of judgment. Barehanding a ball that’s bouncing like that one is a pure desperation move — you should only do that when you know that you have no chance otherwise. Wright made the point (in self-defense) that the ball kind of skidded on its last bounce — well, yes, bouncing balls down the line sometimes do that.
We all know Upton can fly. But as others have noted, he is a righty, and didn’t get a great jump. With 2 out and none on in the 1st inning of a game, it’s better to play safe, especially if you’re as scatter-armed as Wright is: glove the ball and make a sure throw, and if you don’t get him, at least he’s only on 1st.
But what’s done is done. I can’t think of who would be made happy by having a no-hitter awarded on appeal. Terry Collins, maybe.
I like Collins a lot, and I think the players do. And maybe acts of sheer loyalty, like making this appeal and letting Reyes take himself out of the last game of 2011 to preserve the batting title, are part of why they play well for him. But those two particular actions do not, I think, reflect well on him.
All I can say is I watched the play in real-time (on TV) and I remember thinking I wonder how they’ll rule the play, hit or error. I waffled back and forth, and the replays didn’t sway me dramatically. I could have taken the call either way.
Wright made a judgement as he watched the play in front of him that based on the speed of the runner, his position, and the ball trajectory that he needed to try and bare hand the ball to throw out Upton. Even though he’s righthanded, I think more times than not Upton will be safe on a play like that if the fielder decides to glove it. After the ball bounced, it was fading slightly from Wright, contributing to why he missed it. He might not have missed it with the glove, but he would have had to reach across his body shifting his momentum, set and throw, and there’s a reason Wright opted not do that. He thought the play would be lost. Now from what I understand, Upton did not get a great break out of the box, so Wright would have had a chance to get him. Yet that’s all easy to say after the fact.
I saw a number of MLB players questioned on the call, and they seemed to be split on it being a hit or error. That’s probably the best indicator as to why it won’t be overturned.
Fair enough, Mike. And I’ll add another point against my original argument: Despite not always hustling in the outfield, Upton leads the Rays with 13 infield hits this year, which (as best I can figure) is in MLB’s top 20.
BTW My retort wasn’t directed at you specifically. I actually hadn’t read your comment as of yet when I posted. It started with Voomo’s, who had a very strong opinion that it was an error. Since I was on the borderline, I don’t question anyone calling it a hit or an error, but if someone has a powerful opinion that it is *clearly* a hit or an error, I’ll pay more attention since I’m still not sure! So reading your note, I certainly would also question Gary Cohen’s statement.
Overall, I just don’t think it would be proper for MLB to overturn the judgment call of the official scorer, especially if it would result in a no-hitter after the fact. Related, I was under the mistaken impression that appeals are rarely ever won, but to my surprise it’s not that unheard of for an official scorer’s call to be changed days, weeks and sometimes months after the decision. Yet just as I’m sure the gravity of the situation would have resulted in Upton’s ball being called an error if it happened in the 9th inning, I’m equally sure the same gravity will ensure MLB doesn’t overturn the call after the fact.
I served as an official scorer in Triple-A baseball for two seasons, and it was routine in the case of a difficult hit/error judgment call to ask the player(s) involved afterward what they thought about the play. They, almost invariably, were frank and straightforward, and gave you as objective an answer as they could, despite the conflicts of interest John noted.
Now this was Triple-A, obviously, where the stakes aren’t nearly so high, where you don’t have access to instant replay, and where the press box vantage point can be less than ideal. But I think it was common practice for a long time in the big leagues to confer with players too.
Not that it matters even slightly, and not that my opinion carries more weight than anyone else here, but in this case, with just one real-time look and allowing myself no recourse to slo-mo, I would have ruled it an error. Wright made the most difficult play on the ball by trying to bare-hand it, perhaps to compensate for a tendency to throw imperfectly, and gave himself no margin for error for avoiding such an “error.” I used to take a hard line on that course of action.
I highly doubt the call will be changed, especially given Wright’s testimony, but I would have no problem with that, provided the official scorer had been at least somewhat conflicted about his call at the time and got a better perspective afterward from whatever method he used. I mean, let’s face it, the default judgment these days – it’s almost a reflex – is that everything’s a hit, and I think that plays such as this are not as rigorously analyzed as they should be when the initial ruling is made.
Does anyone out there have a link to video of the play? It’s been a few days, and my memory is fading but I seem to recall Wright deciding that bare-handing the ball was his only play. Even though hindsight, or in-the-moment observance, may yield that Wright should have taken a different course on the ball and not attempted the bare-handed play, I think it’s relatively rare to give a third baseman an error in this situation.
tag, I think your “hard line approach” is fair but is one that is not taken very often these days by MLB scorers. And FWIW, based on your contributions in the last month and now knowing your scoring experience, I would say your opinion does carry a lot of weight around here.
This should get you there, bstar:
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=22271383&c_id=mlb
thanks for that, epm