ALCS: Angels vs Yankees

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by mlyons

dola

Again, show me a couple of instances where a fielder got the call when he was as far away as Aybar was. Don't just vaguely say "that always gets called that way". How does that have any more weight than me saying "that never gets called that way"?

All I can assume from what you are saying is that you simply did not know about the neighborhood rule. You probably thought they always touched the bag.

Look at the pic a few posts up. You said it was a bad angle, but how far away was his foot? And hoe far away was his right foot if it was not on the other side of the bag?

I simply can't find video of it on the net. But all I am doing is repeating what just about every sports radio talk program is saying. Even one's here that are yankee fans.

No one has said he was too far from the bag. They all say he ump made a bold call. That the ump did not ignore the fact he did not touch the bag.

If he was not in the neighborhood of the bag then there is no neighborhood play. Make them have to touch the bag.

[Ragnar]

Originally Posted by mlyons

Think about this statement for a second. You're saying that an unwritten "rule" that is actually directly in contradiction with baseball's official rules is not up to interpretation. The only way that could possibly be true is if it were actually enforced to the letter of the law.

And Aybar was not straddling the bag, unless you consider Massachusetts and Rhode Island to be straddling New Jersey. He was well to the left field side.

Yes, that is what I am saying. If it's common practice it is what to be expected. Or else he would have touched the bag. You don't see any first basemen do that, why? Because if their foot is not on the bag the runner is safe. If that were the case at 2nd in a double play, they would make sure they touched the bag.

[mlyons]

Originally Posted by Ragnar

Yes, that is what I am saying. If it's common practice it is what to be expected. Or else he would have touched the bag. You don't see any first basemen do that, why? Because if their foot is not on the bag the runner is safe. If that were the case at 2nd in a double play, they would make sure they touched the bag.

So where does that "neighborhood" extend, then? 3 inches? 6 inches? Two feet? Why require him to go near the bag at all if he doesn't want to be bothered?

Again, the point of the neighborhood rule, and the reason it generally gets called in favor of the fielder, is that it's dangerous for the shortstop to stand on the bag with a runner bearing down on top of him, so if he makes a motion towards the bag while trying to get out of the way of the runner, the umpire will generally give him the benefit of the doubt in regards for his safety if he gets somewhere close to the bag. That's the neighborhood call. None of those things applied to Aybar, so I can't fathom why anyone would expect the umpire to give him the benefit of the doubt there.

[Goody]

He was really far off the bag. He was straddling an imaginary line running out into left field. I think some part of the torso or upper legs must at least be positioned over the bag to get the benefit of the doubt/safety call.

[phightin]

So ken rosenthal just declared the yankees the victors of the serious saying teams are falling apart and crumbling before them etc etc etc and maybe they need to play a team like the phils...but then even then they wont have the pitching to hold them. So in that midgets world the yankees have won the world series baseball season is over. Teams aren't crumbling ken, how bout stating the obvious the yankees are just better with more talent. The Angels didn't seem fazed throughout the year when they played them.

I know the guy is a huge yankee fan but i mean can fox come up with anything better than an obnoxious writer for their coverage team? To be honest I never liked the guy even before I just heard this at all so it's just adding on at this point. He is just one of those overcritically judgemental writers who never had any ounce of athletic ability what so ever yet is so quick to judge. Just seems like a sleezeball too throwing that out there.

[NYY #23]

I missed Rosenthal's comment but I always try to follow two rules - never pay close attention to what any of the announcers/correspondents are saying because they seem to be wrong at least half the time, and never start looking ahead to the next series until the final out.

[mlyons]

The Yankees haven't exactly been blowing away teams, either. It's ludicrous to just look at a 6-0 record and assume they're miles ahead of the competition.

[NYY #23]

I know people like to knock Jeter's fielding, right or wrong, but I have to say I've never seen anybody that seems to see everything going on the field and makes plays like he just did time and time again.

[Goody]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

I know people like to knock Jeter's fielding, right or wrong, but I have to say I've never seen anybody that seems to see everything going on the field and makes plays like he just did time and time again.

That's a pretty good ability to have, as a professional baseball player.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

I know people like to knock Jeter's fielding, right or wrong, but I have to say I've never seen anybody that seems to see everything going on the field and makes plays like he just did time and time again.

If you're talking about the Abreu play, there's isn't a shortstop in the majors who doesn't make that play. Abreu was off the base by 40 feet. Jeter had nothing to do with that.

[MrLegend85]

Extra Innings!!! Go Yankees!

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

If you're talking about the Abreu play, there's isn't a shortstop in the majors who doesn't make that play. Abreu was off the base by 40 feet. Jeter had nothing to do with that.

Granted, Tex probably deserves more credit for covering second base, but I don't think every shortstop in the majors makes that play. How many take the ball and just throw to third?

Between that play, the play on Punto, and the one at second base before the Twins scored he always seems to have great instincts and takes advantage of other team's mistakes.

[EMSoccerCoach]

Originally Posted by NYY #23

Granted, Tex probably deserves more credit for covering second base, but I don't think every shortstop in the majors makes that play. How many take the ball and just throw to third?

Between that play, the play on Punto, and the one at second base before the Twins scored he always seems to have great instincts and takes advantage of other team's mistakes.

But the Punto play was the same thing. He threw home, which is exactly what any player would do in that situation with a guy rounding third. You don't throw behind the runner...it's basic rundown principle taught in Little League. I know this is what Yankee fans do about Jeter, and it's funny, but it doesn't make it accurate. There is no other shortstop who makes that play and anybody thinks anything extraordinary about it.

[MorseMoose]

Send this game to FX or something...I want me some HOUSE!!

[MrLegend85]

Wooooooooooo! lol that was close....

[MorseMoose]

Let's see...since Steinbrenner can't go buy a NEW player to help right now, how can the umpires win the game for the Yankees?

[EMSoccerCoach]

A brutal AB from Hunter.

[NYY #23]

Over managing by Girardi on that one.

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by EMSoccerCoach

But the Punto play was the same thing. He threw home, which is exactly what any player would do in that situation with a guy rounding third. You don't throw behind the runner...it's basic rundown principle taught in Little League. I know this is what Yankee fans do about Jeter, and it's funny, but it doesn't make it accurate. There is no other shortstop who makes that play and anybody thinks anything extraordinary about it.

You get taught a lot in Little League, but it doesn't necessarily mean you execute. We'll have to agree to disagree, but if any other shortstop makes those plays they deserve the same amount of credit I give Jeter.

[Déjà Bru]

Didn't figure to sweep the Angels... I hope mo' isnt swinging (I'm not talking about Rivera ).