OT Jackie BradleyJr

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Is it weird to anyone else every mediocre player from the 2000s is now a big league manager?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Then Pearce scores. Maybe Holt too. But entirely different scenario. Hinch had lifted Sipp, who put the first two guys on. Brought in McHugh, who got a flyout and then hit JBJ. Perfectly normal to let McHugh face Betts there. OTOH, Kimbrel walked the bases loaded in the 9th, and wasn't even near the catcher's target on most of his pitches. Nor was history on his side - going into the inning he hadn't had a save of more than 4 outs. By the time Bregman stepped up, Kimbrel had already thrown more pitches than in any game in 2018. Can't see any other competent manager leaving Kimbrel in the game in that spot.

Of course Waquoit will say that's Cora's brilliance.

Who was left in the pen? Heath Hembre?

 

[Edward Sargent]

Mookie and JD essentially no shows but Devers and JBJ carrying the team.

And Benentendi

 

[AreBee1969]

Is it weird to anyone else every mediocre player from the 2000s is now a big league manager?

Take your pick! Melvin, Hinch, Cora, Counsell. All marginal players. Torre Lovullo, Dave Roberts, Kevin Cash. The list goes on!

 

[upstater]

No, just wrong. The picture tells the story. How in the world can a fan, leaning against the fence, arms forward, be considered behind the fence? Look at the picture. The fans are right up against it. Arms forward.

The side angle was obscured, no one saw anything because of the guy blocking it.

 

[nomar]

I was kind of half listening... The commentators mentioned that the statement MLB gave them was that it was inconclusive right? Or did I get that mixed up? Either way, it's a tough spot to put any umpire in... Just imagine if this was Angel Hernandez instead.

They didn't have a side view. It's like reviewing to see whether the football crossed the goal line without having a goal line view. Pretty silly. So the call stood.

Looked to me like Betts was in the stands. But putting aside the strict interpretation of the rules, he was in the position to catch that and the fans closed his glove on him. Hard to complain too loudly from a fairness perspective. Plus the Astros had about 6 million opportunities after that. The difference in this series has been clutch hitting.

 

[the Q]

They didn't have a side view. It's like reviewing to see whether the football crossed the goal line without having a goal line view. Pretty silly. So the call stood.

Looked to me like Betts was in the stands. But putting aside the strict interpretation of the rules, he was in the position to catch that and the fans closed his glove on him. Hard to complain too loudly from a fairness perspective. Plus the Astros had about 6 million opportunities after that. The difference in this series has been clutch hitting.

They had a sideline view, it was just obstructed because unlike football, fans and security stand on the goal line.

 

[nomar]

That is such an idiotic comment. Cora is the best manager in the game.

I love Cora but he's getting away with a lot of questionable decisions.

Barnes one out, Kimbrel six? He also got away with stretching Porcello, who had nothing.

 

[nomar]

They had a sideline view, it was just obstructed because unlike football, fans and security stand on the goal line.

So they didn't have a side view.

 

[upstater]

He’s in the crowd and crossed but it’s close enough to argue either way I guess.

The crowd is leaning over the fence. How could he not be in the crowd?

 

[3rdbass]

The crowd is leaning over the fence. How could he not be in the crowd?

Like you said leaning over the fence and still in the field of play. It really is impossible to be conclusive without a good side view. Either way the sox have been more clutch in this series and it shows by their driving in runs at a high rate with 2 outs in this series. If Betts and JD get hot watch out.

 

[the Q]

So they didn't have a side view.

It’s not like they didn’t have a camera there. It was unnaturally obstructed

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Take your pick! Melvin, Hinch, Cora, Counsell. All marginal players. Torre Lovullo, Dave Roberts, Kevin Cash. The list goes on!

Aaron Boone

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

I'm amazed at how horrific JBJ looks at the plate 90% of the time. His production is baffling. Almost like he sets the pitchers up in earlier innings by looking like he cant hit a thing.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

I was reading Car and Driver online and was reading this article when Benintendi made the catch.

I think Kimbrel can fork over cash for this.

The 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan Is an SUV for Royalty

Bentayaga > Cullinan

 

[Excalibur]

Upstater's description is right on target. There is no way that their hands were not in the field of play if you look at the guy with his hand on the wall.

 

[Marat]

I love Cora but he's getting away with a lot of questionable decisions.

Barnes one out, Kimbrel six? He also got away with stretching Porcello, who had nothing.

I agree but tough decisions for Cora simply because no Sale next game and wanted to have Porcello longer to limit the pen usage. He did take out Brasier in the subsequent inning, which was good. Maybe he limited Barnes because he thought Kimbrel could go the 6 and he could still use Barnes next game.
Kimbrel is an adventure and not even 2 runs feels safe with him these days.

 

[Excalibur]

I agree but tough decisions for Cora simply because no Sale next game and wanted to have Porcello longer to limit the pen usage. He did take out Brasier in the subsequent inning, which was good. Maybe he limited Barnes because he thought Kimbrel could go the 6 and he could still use Barnes next game.
Kimbrel is an adventure and not even 2 runs feels safe with him these days.

I'm OK with trying to stretch Porcello as it was a safe assumption that the Sox would score more runs. One out for Barnes is strange given Kimbrel's struggles and the fact that he never, ever gets a six out save.

 

[UConnStats]

I'm OK with trying to stretch Porcello as it was a safe assumption that the Sox would score more runs. One out for Barnes is strange given Kimbrel's struggles and the fact that he never, ever gets a six out save.

It was a big risk, but now Barnes is available to close. Not sure about Brasier (probably not available), but you know Kimbrel can't pitch tonight. You have to hope that piggybacking Price and ERod gets you 6 innings at least, preferably 7.

They might even have to steal an inning from Hembree tonight. Hembree isn't god, but he's significantly better when he starts an inning vs. coming in with men on base. He's got the highest % of inherited runners scoring since 2017.

 

[SixRings]

What a great game. Back and forth the whole time. No pitcher was safe.
I liked the interference call because it looked to me that the three fans were over plane of the wall. Good pics this morning on espn to suggest the same.
The throw from Mookie and catch from Bennie are instant classics. That squirms under Bennie and Astros clear the bases and walk off.

 

[superjohn]

I dont really understand how that play is under debate, no matter if its over the wall or not its still interference. But Benny did save us there, what a play.

Only way it's interference is if the fans are reaching onto the field of play, once the ball is in the stands it's fair game.

 

[Excalibur]

It was a big risk, but now Barnes is available to close. Not sure about Brasier (probably not available), but you know Kimbrel can't pitch tonight. You have to hope that piggybacking Price and ERod gets you 6 innings at least, preferably 7.

They might even have to steal an inning from Hembree tonight. Hembree isn't god, but he's significantly better when he starts an inning vs. coming in with men on base. He's got the highest % of inherited runners scoring since 2017.

I think that they let Price and ERod go seven regardless of the result. They're not going to get more than a couple of runs against Verlander anyway. Best case scenario is that they keep it close enough so that Hinch has to keep him out there for 100 pitches so that he can't go too far in a potential game 7 relief effort.

 

[Excalibur]

Only way it's interference is if the fans are reaching onto the field of play, once the ball is in the stands it's fair game.

"However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference."

Sounds to me like the location of the ball has nothing to do with it. If they hit Betts' glove on the field, it's interference.

 

[superjohn]

"However, should a spectator reach out on the playing field side of such fence, railing or rope, and plainly prevent the fielder from catching the ball, then the batsman should be called out for the spectator’s interference."

Sounds to me like the location of the ball has nothing to do with it. If they hit Betts' glove on the field, it's interference.

What?

 

[UConnStats]

Only way it's interference is if the fans are reaching onto the field of play, once the ball is in the stands it's fair game.

Obviously everyone is entitled to their own opinion and this is just from one person's perspective, but I thought this article did a good job of summing the situation up: The Fan Interference Call Was Probably Good | FanGraphs Baseball