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You know your sport needs a replay system when the officials get the call right and nobody believes them.

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/ ... struction/

Proper call as it was clear that the raised legs were meant to impede.

If Middlebrooks was just laying there the Red Sox would have a case. That he raised his legs made it look like he was trying to obstruct Craig. Kudos to Craig for keeping his momentum and continuing to run home. If Craig had tripped but returned to third, I wonder what the call would have been.

It actually doesn't matter whether there was intent to trip Craig. The way the rules are worded, Middlebrooks was essentially in a no-win situation once he missed the throw from home and fell down: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1826 ... &hpt=hp_t1

just brew it! wrote:

It actually doesn't matter whether there was intent to trip Craig. The way the rules are worded, Middlebrooks was essentially in a no-win situation once he missed the throw from home and fell down: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1826 ... &hpt=hp_t1

Agreed on the black/white of the rule but in the heat of a WS game an ump is much more likely to make that call when there's clear evidence of intent. Much as we may disagree at times, umps are human.

The legs I think actually caused the fall. I think if Middlebrooks doesn't lift his legs, Craig doesn't trip and makes it home safely. It was a "close enough" play at the plate that someone who doesn't spend 3 seconds falling down and getting up again is home easily.

derFunkenstein wrote:

The legs I think actually caused the fall. I think if Middlebrooks doesn't lift his legs, Craig doesn't trip and makes it home safely. It was a "close enough" play at the plate that someone who doesn't spend 3 seconds falling down and getting up again is home easily.

Yes, 100% agreed. But my point was that it doesn't even matter whether he raised his legs intentionally or not. Even if he *hadn't* raised his legs, had Craig tripped over him anyway it would've still been correct for the ump to call obstruction. By the book if he's not holding or trying to field a ball (which he wasn't any more since he'd already missed it), and he's in the runner's way, that's obstruction. Period.

Yes, we agree there, too. The HBT article I linked mentioned that, too. Comes down to the Red Sox were "damned if you do, damned if you don't".

And after the bizarre way LAST night's game ended, I'm starting to wonder if people are cracking under pressure. How does game 5 end?

Yeah the end was funny...he didn't have much of a lead at first base. It's been an entertaining series so far.

He says he slipped trying to get a lead and Uehara happened to see him. Just a whole series full of facepalm, but indeed entertaining.

Just another poorly played game. Sheesh. That was as ugly or even uglier than the 2006 series. Entertaining but ugly.

Anybody hear from DancinJack? Has Boston caught fire?

derFunkenstein wrote:

Anybody hear from DancinJack? Has Boston caught fire?

This is the 3rd over the last 10 years, wouldn't they be used to it by now? I understand the first one that broke the "curse", but the 3rd time??

haha not on fire. City is very alive though. I was at home for last nights game. I'm not willing to deal with all that down by Fenway.

I was going based on this:

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/ ... nway-park/

Toward the bottom there's a photo of the riot police ready to beat everyone down.

Half of the last decade's World Series winners were represented in this series, from 2004 to 2013. Pretty astounding stuff. 7 combined league pennants and 5 combined Series titles (with the 2 losses coming to the 5 winners). Both the Cardinals and Red Sox have a lot to be proud of - developing talent through the draft and international free agents, and acquiring just the right veteran talents to compliment them.

Baseball is awesome, you guys. Unless you're an Astros fan. And even then, I know by watching what Jeff Luhnow can do with regards to player development, so even they'll be awesome one day.

oh yeah, i mean that's how it is here though. Lots and lots of people in a very small area. Drinking all day, being obnoxiously rowdy.

derFunkenstein wrote:

Baseball is awesome, you guys. Unless you're an Astros fan.

You can add the "Blow" Jays, Mariners, and Royals to that list. Even the Brewers are not a joke anymore.

Nobody else lost as many games as the Astros though.

The Royals were right in it right up until the end of September. Kind of a streaky team and Moustakas was a total disappointment this year. Jays were a bust. The M's were kind of sad. But nothing beats 51-111 this year.