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Red card for Rizzo

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George_Calfas

Well-known member
Aug 22, 2008
36,264
30
Urbana
Not exactly true if you watch the whole thing and not just go off the picture, but when he spent his whole time from 3rd to home outside the foul line, where he ended up does seem awfully suspicious
The last bit is how he violated Rule 6.01(i).

6.01 (i) (7.13) Collisions at Home Plate
(1) A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate), or otherwise initiate an avoidable collision. If, in the judgment of the umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the umpire shall declare the runner out (regardless of whether the player covering home plate maintains possession of the ball). In such circumstances, the umpire shall call the ball dead, and all other base runners shall return to the last base touched at the time of the collision. If the runner slides into the plate in an appropriate manner, he shall not be adjudged to have violated Rule 6.01(i) (Rule 7.13).
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
Would you have thought the same thing if it was at second and Mercer was throwing to first?

If Mercer were 2 feet clear of the bag making his throw like Diaz was off the plate? Yes, I'd have an issue with it.

It's a break up slide we see every day at second but for some reason because it's at home plate people hate it. It's also important to note it looks like he goes out of his way to not go in spikes up. I think that makes it look worse because he's fidgeting around more than usual but it would have been much easier for him to Spike Diaz in the calf/Achilles and that would have been worse.

Though both slides are technically trying to break up a double play, in application the two are quite a bit different I think and it all comes down to player safety. 9 times out of 10 the shortstop or second baseman has the runner visible in front of him as well as a little bit of time to take some reactionary action to clear himself from the path of the runner trying to break up the double play. Also runners out by 15 feet at second, like Rizzo was at the plate, don't normally even attempt to break up a double play. I can't think of a situation that a catcher would be completing the 2-3 portion of a double play in which he could see the runner and try to protect himself any more than Diaz did in this instance. All you can do is touch the plate and step out of the way to make your throw as he did. He was about two feet out in front of the plate, almost into the infield grass, and turned away from third base as you have to be to make the throw to first. Rizzo hadn't even started his slide when Diaz had to turn his back on him to throw so Diaz was totally unprotected. Rizzo was deliberately throwing his left leg out into the catcher instead of using it to go toward the plate. That is why it looks like he was "trying not to go in spikes up". He was extending the front of his foot toward Diaz trying to reach farther, not to keep his spikes clear. If Diaz was on the plate making the force out and Rizzo slides into him at the plate I have zero issue with this play. Since he was out by so much though and clearly deviated from his running path in order to do nothing more than disrupt the catcher who was well clear of the plate I think MLB is right and it should have been interference.

Also what the hell was Maddon smoking? Part of his argument in support of Rizzo was that Diaz didn't allow a path to the plate so Rizzo had to slide there. What?
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
The baserunner is still in position to touch the plate. If you look at his back leg it appears to be inside of the basepath and his slide path will take him across the plate. If im the catcher I don't go to the front of the plate I go to the 1st base side of the plate.. The review ruled this play as no interference..

I'm sorry but what? You realize how unnatural a baseball action trying to step to the first base side of the plate would be? The throw is coming from your left side so you're stretching into that throw and then you're going to completely reverse your body's momentum to take 2-3 steps (or a long shuffle slide) to the right and then you're going to stop and reverse momentum again to make a throw that is directly in line with the path of the runner going to first? Come on.

Watch the video again. His slide path took his whole body in front of the plate. The only thing he could touch the plate with was an extended hand as he went by.
 
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