Game 3: Anatomy of Obstruction

Though this is not an Abby-like re-creation from NCIS, here's what happened in the 9th inning of World Series Game 3.

Dustin Pedroia's diving stop on Jon Jay

Yadier Molina tagged out at home for 2nd out

Jarrod Saltalamacchia's throw eludes Will Middlebrooks

Middelbrooks flops like a fish

Down goes Frazier Allen Craig; Joyce signals obstruction

Craig heads home; DeMuth signals obstruction

Salty tags out Craig

DeMuth signals safe

John Farrell is confused

There you have it. The best thing of all? The umpires apparently got a call correct without having to huddle up.

Cardinals Prevail; in Walk-Off Trip

I have seen a lot in over 40 years of watching post-season baseball - Jeffrey Maiers interference in the 1996 ALCS. The Bartman interference in the 2003 NLCS. Carlton Fisk's arm-waving extra inning game winning home run in Game 6 of the '75 series. Reggie Jackson sticking his hip out, much to the consternation of Tommy Lasorda in the '78 Classic, and of course Mr. October's 3-home run outburst in Game 6 to clinch the World Series the prior year.

But I don't think any of those memories come close to last night's Game 3 between the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals for a one play World Series game decider. The Red Sox had rallied from 2-0 and 4-2 deficits to tie the game 4-4 in the 8th inning.

Yadier Molina reached on a one out single off Brandon Workman to start the 9th, so Sox manger John Farrell went to his closer, Koji Uehara, to face pinch-hitter Allen Craig. The Cardinals' 1st baseman/outfielder has been hobbled by a foot injury that led to manager Mike Matheny's decision to sit him at the start of the game and save him for a situation like the one that arose in the 9th.

Craig came through with a double to put two runners in scoring position and forced Boston to move the infield and outfield in. Center fielder Jon Jay's bouncer back up the middle was stopped by a diving Dustin Pedroia, whose throw home easily beat the slow footed Molina to the plate. Catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia tagged Molina for the second out of the inning, but that's when the mayhem began.

Craig broke for third as soon as he saw Pedroia throw home. A throw right at the bag would likely have nailed Craig but Salty's throw tailed away from  Will Middlebrooks ricocheted into foul territory. Middlebrooks, who should have caught the ball despite it being off course, did a belly flop and Craig slid into third. As Daniel Nava raced over from left field, Craig popped up from his head first slide and began the race to home plate, but fell over a prone Middlebrooks, who had inadvertently raised up both legs.

Third base umpire Jim Joyce immediately signaled obstruction, but the only one who saw the call was home plate umpire Dana DeMuth. Which is why everyone in the ball park was confused when DeMuth signaled safe after Salty grabbed Nava's throw home and applied the tag on Craig for an apparent third out. While the Cardinals and their fans celebrated, a confused Farrell, Pedroia, Uehara and all the other Red Sox argued and wandered in bewilderment until DeMuth and Joyce explained the call.

They might have to change the term walk-off to stumble-off for this one.

Umpires Meet the Press

Umpires John Hirschbeck, Jim Joyce, and Dana DeMuth, and league executive VP Joe Torre met with the media afterwards. Below is the transcript courtesy of mlb.com. You can view the video of the press conference by clicking here.

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  I know you have a lot of questions, and we'll answer everything you have. But just to go over the rule quickly, obstruction is the act of a fielder obstructing a runner when not in the act of fielding a ball. It does not have to be intent. There does not have to be intent, okay? Once he has the opportunity to field the ball, he can no longer in any way obstruct the runner. That's basically the rule. So you want to go ahead and ask questions? 

Q. If you can just take us through how you saw the play develop and if there was, in fact, any incidental contact and whether or not Middlebrooks raised his legs, if you would just take us through how you saw the play develop, please.

JIM JOYCE:  Well, when the play developed after Saltalamacchia threw the ball at third base, after the ball had gone straight through, and Allen had slid into third and stood up to attempt to go to home plate, everything was off right there. And when he tried to advance to home plate, the feet were up in the air, and he tripped over Middlebrooks right there, and immediately and instinctually I called obstruction.

Q. I understand what John said, that there doesn't have to be intent, but the fact that his feet were up, did that play into it at all? And is there any wiggle room, like where else could he be after he dives for the ball, what else could he be doing but laying on the floor, if you do think there's intent?

JIM JOYCE:  No, as a matter of fact, the feet didn't play too much into that because he was still in the area where the baserunner needs to go to advance to home plate. And the baserunner has every right to go unobstructed to home plate, and unfortunately for Middlebrooks he was right there. And there was contact, so he could not advance to home plate naturally.

JOE TORRE:  And let me read, it gives the example on Rule 2, "An infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him, and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner."

Q. So does "very likely" mean there's interpretation?

JOE TORRE: Intentional or not intentional. He just has to clear the path. I know sometimes it's unfair because he's laying on the ground, but that's the way the rule is.

Q. Is there anything he could have done to avoid violating this rule in that position? Once he's down, what could he have done at that point?

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  Just to get out of the way quickly and not obstruct the runner. It's really as simple as that.

JIM JOYCE:  Really, that doesn't play into that play. With the defensive player on the ground, without intent or intent, it's still obstruction. You'd probably have to ask Middlebrooks that one, if he could have done anything. But that's not in our determination.

Q. He said there wasn't anything else he could have done, that's why I asked the question.

JIM JOYCE:  But the rule is is that the runner has every right to go to home plate at that particular play unobstructed without any liability ‑‑ he doesn't have to get out of the way, he just has the baseline, and unfortunately the defensive player was there.

JOE TORRE:  And the fact that he impeded the runner, again. Didn't mean to, but it still doesn't matter, according to the rule.

Q. I know you guys obviously got the call right the other night when you all convened together on the second base play. Did you all even chat about it or have a quick conversation about it? Jim, did you ask the other umpires their viewpoint? It seems like you called it immediately and you were set with it. I was curious if I could get the other umpires' thoughts on if you thought it was the right call, done, and there was nothing else to discuss?

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  I was on the leftfield line. Immediately after we got off the field into our locker room we congratulated Jim and said "great call." I could see it all in front of me as it happened. That was our first reaction when we got in the locker room. Mark Wegner made the comment he could see it developing from right field.

We're trained to look for these things. It's out of the ordinary, but when it happens, and it's the World Series, you expect to get it right.

Q. I'm just curious, is there any responsibility of the runner to make sure he's in the baseline? Did you guys check for that? Often a runner comes around third and circles around the third base coach's box. It seems like Craig was clearly on the inside part of third more toward shortstop. Is it the responsibility of the runner to make sure he's inside the baseline?

JIM JOYCE:  He was right on the baseline. He was right on the chalk. And so that never played into any decision, at all, because he was ‑‑ he had slid, stood up, and he was literally right on the chalk.

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  Don't forget, the runner establishes his own baseline. If he's on second on a base hit and rounds third wide, that baseline is from where he is, way outside the line, back to third and to home plate, it's almost a triangle. So the runner establishes his own baseline.

Q. Just curious if any of you guys remember a game ending in this way, ending on this particular call in any of your experiences?

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  Never.

JIM JOYCE:  Never.

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  And again, Peter (Woodfork) pointed out to me to mention this, normally this play happens at second base on a steal play or something, where the ball goes into centerfield and the shortstop or second baseman obstructs the runner or stays there too long trying to hold the tag down or making believe he fell down or whatever. Not at third base.

Q. Once you make the call, he gets home and that's the end of it, right? Because there was still a play at the plate that developed. Obviously the players were playing out the play.

JIM JOYCE:  Our determination is whether or not he could have scored or not. And Dana immediately came up with, he saw me make the call. And as soon as Craig slid into home plate, Dana immediately pointed down at me knowing that we had obstruction and it impeded Allen to score the run, essentially. Dana did a great job on installing that right away. Dana did a great job signaling that right away.  

JOHN HIRSCHBECK:  And that's the last, most important part of this rule, is that the umpire has to determine ‑‑ if what you saw tonight happened and he's out by 20 feet, then the umpire determines that if the obstruction had not occurred, he would have been out, okay? But since it was right there, bang, bang play, obviously that's obstruction, definitely had something to do with the play.

Q. That's Dana's call right away?

DANA DeMUTH:  I'm going with Jim on it, so I determine when it ends at the end, about the obstruction, you know. It's Jim's call originally, but looking up there. I have to see the call, also, and agree with him. I have to know that it's obstruction.

JOE TORRE:  You remember a few years ago I think Tejada ran into a fielder and then stopped running, and even though he was pointing back, he's obstructed, but he stopped running, so he was out.

Replacement NFL Refs Ump Wild Card Game

Left field ump Sam Holbrook raises his hand in the air like he just don't care.

Wait, what? They didn't. My bad. I thought for sure that the call that was made in last night's St. Louis-Atlanta "play-in" wild card game had to be done by a NFL replacement ref.

Now I get it. It was just the usual pitiful Major League Baseball umpiring, which year in and year out makes horrendous calls in the post-season. And these guys are supposed to be the best and brightest among MLB umps.

With the Yankees playing the Orioles, we'll all get to see plenty of replays of little Jeffrey Maier interfering with Derek Jeter's 1996 ALCS home run. Richie Garcia was the ump in question on that one; wonder if O's right fielder (and later Yankee) Tony Tarrasco has gotten over that.

There was the Phil Cuzzi, who called Joe Mauer's clear double a foul ball in the 2009 ALDS between the Twins and Yankees. I won't go back to the Don Deckinger fiasco that cost the Cardinals a World Series championship in 1985. That's just a small sampling of the horrible job umpires have done in the playoffs. And as everyone knows the regular season sees more than it share of bad calls and bad strike zones.

This year Jerry Meals possibly cost the Yankees a game agains the Orioles when he called Mark Teixeira out on a game ending play at first base. The tying run would have scored on the play; fortunately for the Yankees the loss didn't cost them the division.  Meals also made a horrible call in extra innings between the Pirates and Braves last year. Jim Joyce cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game back in 2010 when he blew an out call at first base.

But back to last night's Cardinals-Braves game; the call in question may not have changed the outcome of game, but we'll never know.

The Braves were down 6-3 and had two aboard when Andrelton Simmons lifted a pop up to shallow left field. Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma and left fielder Matt Holliday converged on the ball and both gave up (mainly Kozma) on it. The ball dropped to the ground and the Braves had the bases loaded...but then they didn't.

An INFIELD FLY is a fair fly ball (not including a line drive nor an attempted bunt) which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort, when first and second, or first, second and third bases are occupied, before two are out. The pitcher, catcher and any outfielder who stations himself in the infield on the play shall be considered infielders for the purpose of this rule.
When it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare “Infield Fly” for the benefit of the runners. If the ball is near the baselines, the umpire shall declare “Infield Fly, if Fair.”
The ball is alive and runners may advance at the risk of the ball being caught, or retouch and advance after the ball is touched, the same as on any fly ball. If the hit becomes a foul ball, it is treated the same as any foul.
If a declared Infield Fly is allowed to fall untouched to the ground, and bounces foul before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball. If a declared Infield Fly falls untouched to the ground outside the baseline, and bounces fair before passing first or third base, it is an Infield Fly.
Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder—not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder. The infield fly is in no sense to be considered an appeal play. The umpire’s judgment must govern, and the decision should be made immediately.
When an infield fly rule is called, runners may advance at their own risk. If on an infield fly rule, the infielder intentionally drops a fair ball, the ball remains in play despite the provisions of Rule 6.05 (L). The infield fly rule takes precedence.

Left field umpire Sam Holbrook had raised his arm for an infield fly and an automatic out. But Holbrook raised his arm too late and the location of the baseball was also "iffy" to even call the infield fly.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez argued vehemently, protested the game, and the Braves' fans littered the field with garbage (which was asinine no matter how bad the call was). The fiasco led to a 19-minute delay and the Braves were, for all intents and purposes, done.  (The protest was, of course, overturned.)

It's a shame that calls like this happen year after year, especially when it's in the post-season. Perhaps instead of finding more revenue streams, Bud Selig could find a method to ensure that today's umpires aren't total screw ups.

BD Hot Stove: Galarraga’s Strange Journey Continues | Baseball Digest

BD Hot Stove: Galarraga’s Strange Journey Continues | Baseball Digest

The hot stove is coming to you a little later today and a hot stove is really needed since it was below zero in the northeast today. It’s been a strange stretch of time for Armando Galarraga over the last seven months. On June 2 last year Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game by the very imperfect call of umpire Jim Joyce. Hugs, tearfests, ovations followed…yada yada yada.

One week ago Galarraga and the Tigers avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one year, $2.3M contract. The very next day the Tigers designated Galarraga for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Brad Penny. Today, Galarraga was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks for right-hander Kevin Eichhorn and lefty Ryan Robowski.

Galaragga will probably get a chance to compete for the Diamondbacks final spot in the rotation with second year man Barry Enright and Aaron “I want to be a starter again” Heilman. Eichorn was a third round pick by the Dbacks in 2008 and played primarily in rookie ball last season. He averaged nearly a strikeout per inning, but surrendered 12 home runs and gave up more hits than innings pitched. Robowski put up similar numbers for High Single-A Visalia last season after being selected in the 16th round out of Ohio Dominican University in 2009.

The Diamondbacks also brought back pitcher Micah Owings, who some feel would be better as a full time hitter at this point. Owings showed promise a rookie in 2007, posting an 8-8, 4.30 mark in 27 starts and a pair of relief appearances. But his command got worse the following season, so the Dbacks shipped him to the Reds in September as the PTBNL in the Adam Dunn deal. This past October he was granted free agency after two poor seasons with the Reds. As for his hitting, Owings had 4 HR and 15 RBI as a rookie and has a .293 lifetime batting average and an .861 OPS. Perhaps it’s time to pick up a fielder’s glove or become an AL DH.

One more Diamondbacks note – Rafael Rodriguez acquired in July’s trade deadline Dan Haren deal, was DFA’ed to make room for Galarraga on the Arizona 40-man roster.

The Rockies signed outfielder Willy Taveras to a minor league deal. Taveras played for Colorado from 2007-2008.

The Nationals have added pitcher Todd Coffey with a one year deal. Coffey was non-tendered by the Brewers in December.

Per Jon Heyman, the Rangers have re-opened talks with Vlad Guerrero.

Over the weekend the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reported that the Red Sox will be willing to deal Jonathan Papelbon at any point before or during the season. Papelbon will earn $12M in 2011.