A couple people have asked my opinion of the call in last nights Red Sox game. This is the sum of my thoughts on the subject. I think there are several ways of looking at it. First, the actual reading of the rule can apply if you look at the text book events of the play you can say yes, by the rule that was obstruction. That being said about rules, especially ones as circumstantial and judge mental as obstruction are called under the circumstances. See basketball for like all fouls. Things change in the final 5 minutes of a basketball and are called according to the circumstances. (You can also say rules that are judgement called are hardly ever called by the book also. There would be holding on every football snap and traveling 30 times a game in the NBA) So I think those factors are important when looking at it the 2nd way which is the situation. Excluding the fact that the call awards STL a run and the game the biggest aspect of it is Middlebrooks has no where to possibly go. Jim Joyce himself stated in the post game that Middlebrooks couldnt have done anything but it was still obstruction( the rule technically doesnt allow for player intent or ability to move) So thats where the idea of its a judgement call and similar to other sports (MLB included) those calls are not made by textbook and usually allow for things like the player not being able to do anything. 3rd and I think possibly the most important that is being over looked is two things. Not only could Middlebrooks not only move out of the way but his position was due to him making a play on the ball. His position was not a result of his own placement but on his attempt to play the ball. Which is a legal play that if he had obstructed the runner making a play on the ball then obstruction is not called, so why is it called when his position that causes obstruction is a result of making a play on the ball and he physically cannot get out of the way? The second part of this is that Middlebrooks final position laying down was inside the white line and the path Craig was on running would have been even with him running in the infield grass, so its questionable whether you can really say Middlebrooks was technically in the base path. The final thing Ill say is Jim Joyce has a history of being a terrible umpire and regardless of it being the correct call or incorrect call I never think (no matter what side I am on) that a game or a World Series game especially should be decided on a call such as that. I wouldnt want to win like that and I never think that the reason people should be talking about the end of a sportin event is because of an umpires decision.
Posted on: Sun, 27 Oct 2013 16:33:47 +0000
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